Emmy-nominee writer and producer Jeri Taylor, best known for her work in the Star Trek universe, has died at the age of 88, resumably of natural causes. She was best known for her work in the Star Trek universe.   She was co-creator and executive producer of Star Trek: Voyager.  She wrote many scripts for both Voyager and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

She also wrote for Quincy, M.E., Little House on the Prairie, Jake and the Fatman, Blue Thunder, In the Heat of the Night, and The Incredible Hulk.

The script of which she said she was proudest was the TNG episode “The Drumhead,” which might be good to watch again in these politically turbulent times.  It contained these stirring words: “With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably.” The Hollywood Reporter rated it the 15th best episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 2016.

Taylor wrote three Star Trek novels for Pocket Books, one set within the Next Gen, and two focusing on Voyager.  Unification was a novelization of the two-parter of that name, where Spock tries to reconcile Romulus and Vulcan.  Mosaic focused on Captain Janeway.  Pathways tells of one of the Voyager crew’s more miserable misadventures.

Taylor was married twice and had three children. She was married to newscaster Dick Enberg from 1963 – 1973, and married to producer David Moessinger from 1986 -2018. Her children are sons actor Andrew Enberg, actor and SPFX artist Alexander Enberg (Ensign Vorik on Voyager), and daughter Jennifer Enberg, who predeceased her in 2015. Taylor was the stepmother of actress Amy Moessinger.

Jeri Cecile Taylor was born June 30, 1938 in Evansville, Indiana. She died October 24, 2024. No cause of death has been released yet. She attended Indiana University, where she earned a B. A. in English, and went on to study at California State University, Northridge, where she earned an M.A. in English.

Graphics designer Michael Okuda eulogized her thusly:

The world of Star Trek lost one of its giants yesterday with the passing of writer-producer Jeri Taylor. Jeri became a supervising producer on Star Trek: TNG’s fourth season, eventually becoming co-executive producer. Along with Rick Berman and Michael Piller, she co-created Star Trek: Voyager, on which she served as executive producer. Jeri brought humanity and compassion to her work and to Star Trek. Her scripts include “The Drumhead” (TNG), which remains one of Star Trek’s most powerful hours.

Working for Jeri Taylor was always a delight. She always welcomed ideas and suggestions, even from designers in the art department. She was thoughtful and warm, and she always made us feel like we were an important part of her team.

Jeri Taylor passed away yesterday (Thursday, Oct 24) at the age of 88. She will be missed.”

Mike Okuda speaks for most of us.

To her family, we quote the Vulcans: “We grieve with thee.”