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A Rose By Any Other Name

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by Amy Spangler
January 20, 2010

Today, Mary Rose Tully lost her battle with pancreatic cancer and the people of North Carolina lost a breastfeeding advocate extraordinaire.

Mary Rose was a teacher, lactation consultant, public health advocate, director, administrator, and more. Those closest to her knew her as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. There is no way to express how much she will be missed. But if we measure one’s life by the number of people touched, few have touched more lives than Mary Rose Tully—countless mothers, fathers, and babies among them.

I first met Mary Rose when we served together on the board of directors of the International Lactation Consultant Association. She embodied all the qualities one only hopes to find in a colleague—intelligent, hardworking, straightforward, and imaginative. Mary Rose was conscientious to a fault. If there was a job to be done, she would do it, without complaint, without hesitation, without fanfare. And despite the urging of family and friends, she never learned to say, no.

While tributes to Mary Rose will likely highlight her professional achievements in education, human milk banking, lactation consulting, public health, and breastfeeding advocacy, I will remember her as a casual colleague who became a forever friend.

She will be missed.

Ann Kingrey

I met Mrs. Mary Rose several years ago at the first United States Breastfeeding Coalition National meeting. I’m originally from North Carolina, and I wanted to meet her since I’d read so much about the great work she was doing there. What a sweet smile and a nice lady – it was a brief encounter, but I was so happy that she was in my home state doing so much to promote and protect breastfeeding! She will truly be missed.
http://babygooroo Sandy Taylor

Wish to confirm your comments and agree – I knew Mary Rose when we worked together first at WakeMed and again at UNC. She was a gentle and kind soul – the first true breast feeding advocate! She will be missed. I am sorry for us and the babies/families she will not be able to meet but happy that her journey is now complete. I am sure that heaven is a happier place with the addition of Mary Rose.
Courtney Lyon

I fist met Mary Tully in the second grade, in 1973. She was my teacher at a private Catholic School in Raleigh, NC. She and her husband quickly became close friends with my parents. She stood by my side through the trials of first-time motherhood and was the godmother of my first born, 25 years ago. I cannot recall not knowing Mary. Tomorrow, I will join other family and friends to celebrate her life and how she contributed so positively to the lives of us all. As my sister put, “Heaven now has a special angel.”
Cindy Bastian

My heart is filled with such great sadness for the lactation community on the loss of such a beautiful person. I am thankful that my last encounter with her was a hug and smile at the ILCA conference. Many of us attend ILCA for the information and knowledge presented but for myself I now more than ever appreciate the friends I see once a year. When I think of Mary Rose I see her beautiful smile, she was a person that made a difference in this world, and it was a big difference. I will pray for her family for their loss.