At 2:19 on November 3, 2024 the skies above Ocean City were a little darker. As a bright light of one of Ocean City original families slipped into the ocean’s breeze. Tara Leigh Vanderslice Saylor who passed away was surrounded by her family in her beloved Ocean City, New Jersey.
Tara, a graduate of Ocean City High School, was born in on August 18, the 4th of Harry and Marty Vanderslice’s 8 children. The family moved to the beach town in the mid 1950’s settling first in Merion Park before moving to their monumental home on 29th Street. The Vanderslice house was the hub of the Ocean City scene and Tara was a major attraction. Her beauty surpassed only by her genuine sweet soul and caring for others. A part of Ocean City’s first family of basketball, Tara was a true pioneer as a star of the first girls basketball team. Tara was essentially the middle child and as a result she held a unique relationship between the first 4 and the last 4. It was a position she treasured and enjoyed deep and unique relationships with each of her brothers and sisters. No family has logged more boardwalk miles than the Vanderslices and Tara was the leader. Nothing like a 9 mile walk to catch up on everything going on in the siblings’ lives!
Tara met the love of her life Jack Saylor in Atlanta in 1985. Bound together through the tape industry in which they both worked, they ultimately were partners in a tape and packaging business known as “Tara Tape” that enjoyed enormous success. It was a love story like you see in the movies with Jack dubbing her “Gorg”, short for gorgeous from their earliest dates. He doted on her with a reverence and respect that’s rarely seen these days. Tara and Jack were doers. Whether it was an Eagles or Phillies game, a college hoops road trip, a convention in Las Vegas or their beloved winter jaunts to Key West, they lived an active life after settling in downtown Philadelphia. No matter where their travels took them, summers always brought them home to the beaches of Ocean City.
Tara was the “queen of the boardwalk” walking every day with one of her siblings or many friends and often doubling down later with a bike ride. Always immaculately put together in whatever the outfit for the day or season was, her inner beauty radiated from the warm smile she greeted everyone she met. Tara was genuine as the day is long and always asked questions about others, keen to keep up with their lives. The family had grown accustomed to sharing Tara with so many in the Ocean City area Her footpaths can be found all over the island.
Of all the roles Tara played as daughter, sister, wife, cousin and friend, nothing gave her more joy than the time she spent with each and every one of her 21 nieces and nephews. Every child should be lucky enough to have an Aunt Tara! The highlight of every summer for the kids was “special time with Aunt Tara on the boardwalk”. There she would spoil them with all the treats and rides the boardwalk had to offer and of course, some sort of special gift as a remembrance of the evening. The most beautiful testament to Tara was the relationships she maintained with her nieces and nephews into adulthood. Phone calls, ballgames, and birthday gifts were just a brief glimpse of the love and impact she had on them. Many of them were there to see her off to her eternal journey. The list of those who mourn for Tara and will miss her every day is lengthy. Her adoring and devoted husband Jack. Siblings Victoria, Harry (Dawn), Val, Scott (Kathryn), Stephanie (Francis), Courtney (Richard), and Coco (Bruce), 7th sister Susie and all her beloved cousins. Nieces and nephews: Mark, Tyler, Brittany, Disston, Taylor, Devon, Cole, Dutch, DC, Coop, Trent, Kyle Jenna, Coby, Brady, Kendall, CJ, Nicholas, Jackie, Luke, and Harry and step sons John and Todd.
Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church / St. Damien Parish, 40th Street & Asbury Avenue, Ocean City, NJ where friends may call from 9:00am – 11:00am followed by Mass at 11:00am. The burial will take place at Seaside Cemetery, Palermo, NJ.
