An educator and lawmaker, Maretta Taylor died Sunday morning in Columbus. She was 78.

U.S. Congressman Sanford Bishop said Taylor will be "long remembered" for a legacy of leadership in the community both as an educator and as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 1990-2002.

"She was a role model for so many women," Bishop said.

Before representing District 134, Taylor worked for 28 years as an educator, serving as a school teacher and librarian. After 2002, she served on the county's Board of Elections and Registration. Her husband Jessie, who died in 1993, was the first executive director of the Urban League of Greater Columbus.

In a 1999 newspaper interview, Taylor, who attended Spencer High School, talked about her childhood and what inspired her to be successful.

"I was determined I was not going to let anybody hold me back," she said. "There were eight children. I can remember my mama saying to us, 'you are the most important thing in the world. You've got to be good to yourself because you are as good as anybody alive.'"

Asked then how people could overcome prejudice and make something of themselves, she said that they must set a goal and move forward.

"My goal was to make

something of myself," she said. "You know, I used to tell the children in my class that it was my right and duty to live a level above where my parents were. And my children should dedicate themselves to leading a life a level above me. If you can't do that, you haven't accomplished anything in life. You have to design your life."

Bishop mentioned that a special local interest of Taylor's was the Columbus Community Center.

Rep. Calvin Smyre said he was saddened by news of Taylor's death.

"She was all about service and was community oriented," Smyre said. "Whether it was in the classroom or in the legislature, getting children a good education was always what mattered the most to her."

Taylor retired when the House reapportionment plan reduced the number of Columbus-area districts.

A career educator, she taught at Wynnton Elementary School. During the 12 years she served in the General Assembly, Taylor was a supporter of legislation to strengthen families, protect and educate children. As a leader in education, she supported the passage of Gov. Zell Miller's HOPE Scholarship legislation.

In 2000, she was honored by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators as the outstanding legislator. In presenting the award, PAGE executive vice-president Barbara Christmas said of Taylor, "we can always count on her to champion the best interests of children and educators."

A close friend, Jed Harris, said he will miss Taylor.

"She had been in declining health," Harris said. "I loved Maretta and she loved me, as close friends. She never had any children and thought of me as one of her children. She called me 'baby.' Twelve years ago, she asked if I would speak at her funeral. We made an agreement that the survivor would speak at the other's service. Family, friends, community and church were very important to her."

Florene Dawkins, a local educator, was also like family to Taylor.

"She would introduce me as her child," Dawkins said.

When asked about Taylor's legacy, she echoed what others said: "Her love was for people," Dawkins said. "She told me that a person can make a choice as what to do with their life and that she had chosen to serve people."

People's Funeral Service in Columbus is handling the burial.