The Hampshire community is mourning the loss of Hampshire Middle School physical education teacher and coach Barbara Taylor, 57, who died Thursday (Sept. 21, 2018) after a fall at the school.

Barbara Taylor (CREDIT: Fredrick Funeral Home website)

According to a Kane County Coroner’s Office news release, Taylor fell at the school Thursday and was taken to Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, where she was pronounced deceased at 9:29 a.m.

An autopsy was performed on Friday (Sept. 21), and the preliminary cause of death was “cranio-cerebral injuries due to a fall.”

Toxicology samples were sent to the forensic laboratory for further analysis.

According to the Fredrick Funeral Home website, Taylor was a 1979 graduate of Hampshire High School and received her teaching degree from Northern Illinois University.

Her teaching career spanned 35 years, the past 21 years with District 300. She was a physical education teacher at St. Charles Borromeo School and director of the Hampshire Park District before teaching full time, and previously worked at Eastview Elementary and Golfview Elementary as a physical education teacher.

In addition to teaching at Hampshire Middle School, she served as girls volleyball coach and seventh-grade girls basketball coach.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30,  at the Hampshire Middle School gymnasium, 560 State St., Hampshire. Burial will follow in the Hampshire Center Cemetery.

Visitation will be on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, also at the Hampshire Middle School gymnasium.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name may be directed to St. Jude Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or to the Hampshire Park District Foundation (to support youth athletic programs), at P.O. Box 953, Hampshire, IL 60140.

SOURCE: Kane County Coroner’s Office news release, Fredrick Funeral Home website