It is with heavy hearts that we must say goodbye to Mary Sullivan. Beloved mother, daughter, sister, and friend, she was taken from us all too soon. We will always love you.A memorial fund has being set up by her co-workers at Johns Hopkins for the continued education of Mary's three daughters. Please visit http://www.marysgirls.org/ for details on how you can help and for information on how you can send your thoughts and prayers to Mary's girls and her family.
Please feel free to share your comments and memories of Mary below.
20 comments:
I miss you so much, Mary. It wasn't your time to leave. I know that heaven just got the best mom, sister, daughter, and friend that any of us could have ever known. Words cannot express how much all of us loved you.
Mary Pat Sullivan has always been one of my favorite names. It symbolizes a fun childhood sharing stories, games and laughing all the way to girlscouts. Mary Pat was so much fun and so fun to be around. I loved and admired her beautiful blond hair, bright eyes and great spirit. Later in years I enjoyed learning about your worldly developments and the birth of your girls from our mothers. I am so proud to know you Mary Pat. I admire the work you did saving lives through you work with the Gates Foundation. YOu made a difference in the world Mary Pat. Most people don't have that chance. I could tell from our short visits in recent years that you are a wonderful mother to your three girls. I so enjoyed our times together Mary Pat. Heaven must have needed an angel. My thoughts and prayers will be with you everyday my special childhood friend. You are so loved.
I met Mary Pat only a few times but her vibrant personality and sense of fun were evident from the moment I met her. I could tell from those encounters how very devoted she was to her daughters and how passionate she was about her work. My heart goes out to all of her family, who clearly loved and were well-loved by her.
What I know of Mary.
Mary Sullivan was a bright, dedicated and thoughtful 46 year old woman, mother of three who by day worked at Johns Hopkins in the infectious disease division, BUT by night she knitted beautiful scarves, blankets and shawls. Her designs were complex using advanced stitches, multi-colored yarns and sometimes embellishments. She made it look easy. When she brought her work to my gallery, she told me she knitted to relax. Her beautiful work was admired and longed after by many. I was proud to have it in the gallery.
Mary was also a faithful customer. She was big on building community and a fan of handmade. She took great care in picking out a gift and often seemed to buying for friend in need or maybe one the girls. While I know of paintings she regularly asked after (one quite whimsical and the other abstract), I don't know if she ever bought anything for herself.
She was an easy artist and a good customer and a valued member of our arts and crafts community. But what I remember FIRST and with great regard when I think of Mary Sullivan was how affectionately she spoke of her daughters, referring to them as "My Girls". A smile would cross her face and her beautiful blue eyes would shine with light when she spoke of the girls. And she always spoke of the girls.
I will miss Mary, her knitting, her support and that twinkle in her eye when she shared the latest about her girls.
Mary, my friend. I'm Still wiping away the tears in total disbelief that someone so wonderful has been taken away from us so needlessly, so tragically.
Even though we only met last year, I instantly knew we'd be lifelong friends. You made everyone around you feel so welcome, so comfortable.
You will be missed by everyone lucky enough to have known you, Mary Sullivan.
Thank you for letting me vicariously live through your stories of strength and travel. You made a difference in this world. I'll forever call you my favorite hometown hero and friend...
Mary, I have had the honour and pleasure of knowing you and your family for the last 10 years, both in Uganda and when you returned home to America. In Uganda you took me into your family, being the older sister I never had, someone I could go to when I needed a shoulder to cry on, someone to laugh with, to be a home with. I have watched your beautiful daughters grow into incredible young women. Mary you will always be in my heart. I do not think I will be able to watch another person knitting without smiling and seeing you there instead.
Mary,
What a terrible loss to us. I remember our fun times in Uganda where you were in your prime. Whitewater rafting the Nile at Lindas 40 th birthday, our discussions at The Four Turkeys, fun at the Golf Club. Your project which was so important.
Our hearts are sore
Beaver Linda and Robert
Mary was a kind, intelligent, hard working, and caring person who always did more than asked for in her friendship and in her job. She was totally dedicated to her girls and their successes represent her love and guidance.
Mary always represented the Johns Hopkins University as an ideal employee. She certainly exemplified this work ethic in her job performance, always willing and volunteering to do more than what her job required. She always jumped at the chance to help others in our group whether in the laboratory or in administrative areas, which were extra work for her. She was an outstanding teacher and organizer of her work. She took pride in the work we did and totally dedicated herself to doing an outstanding job.
Many Johns Hopkins employees will sorely miss her as both a friend and fellow employee. Mary was called too early, but surely will join God's legion of angels.
Mary will be so missed! I first met her when she signed up for a two year stint as the Rakai Program lab director in Uganda - a stint that grew into 7 years. Mary had a major impact on the Program's lab capacity in the battle against HIV/AIDS.
Uganda was still not an easy place to live when she and her three great daughers moved there. But bolstered by Mary's love of life and enthusiasm, the family thrived, explored and had a great time. Mary went rafting on the Nile (class 5 rapids), more times than anyone else I know. Her house abounded with pets, including Molly the pig, a wonderful, intelligent beastie, who as a better watch pig than most watch dogs.
Her second family in Uganda were her many, many colleagues and friends in the Rakai Program. She truly nurtured the lab staff, ensured their professional development, and they loved her. I have received so many sad and disbelieving messages and phone calls from her Ugandan buddies - David Serwadda, Fred Nalugoda, Boaz, Tom Lutalo.....
Mary's creativity and enthusiasm for her work often spilled over into her home life. At one point, we needed to take pH samples in tiny rural villages, but no one had developed a suitable sample collection device. Mary invented one using a pediatric tongue depressor and a strip of litmus paper and viola! - just what the doctor ordered. Now we had one - but we needed thousands. Mary's house became a pH testing device factory, with Caileigh, Shannon and Aidan producing thousands of them. Mary paid the girls with Gummy Bears.
I feel very, very lucky to have had Mary as a friend.
My most recent memory of Mary Pat was on the occasion of her sister Megan's wedding here in Colorado..it had been sometime since I had seen Mary Pat...what I loved the most was how she made me feel like I had just seen her yesterday...she was sure to include me and my mom in all the family activities of the weekend as if we were an extension of her own...she kept us captivated with her Uganda adventures and was equally interested in what we were doing...when you talked with Mary Pat she made you feel like the most important person in the room and brought such joy and laughter where ever she was...we were all blessed to have had her in our lives...And heartbroken to have lost her so soon.
Mary was a warm caring and generous person with a larger then life personality.
Mary was one of the first people I met on arriving in Entebbe and one of the last to say goodbye when I left 3 years later.
I remember so vividely the rafting trip down the Nile on my 40th birthday and how you made is all laugh.
You maybe gone now but you will never be forgotton living on in our hearts and minds and with all the lovely memories we have of our time in Uganda
Though I only met Mary last year, i knew immediately that she was a wonderful person, just as you have all described. Kind, generous, a great sense of humor- and immensely proud of her girls. I was looking forward to an ongoing friendship that grew out of our work relationship- but that has been cut short.Mary,I will remember you by reaching out to others as you have done for me- and next time someone offers me a smoothie, I will go for it, rather than say "maybe next time we meet in Baltimore..." My prayers go out to her family at this time.
Mary I will live to remember you for that smile across your face and those beautiful blue eyes that would shine with light whenever you stressed a point with vivid sense of humility, glamour, kindness and compassion. Your great spirit of enthusiasm and team work and the higher strides you made in your cherished profession, shall leave a mark in the hearts of those you have shared and worked with around the world and those of us in Africa [Uganda] and indeed set tears of sorrow rolling whenever we have memories of your tragic demise.
I vividly recall my historical trip with you to the US in 2000. A visit that gave me an exposure to many places and people right from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, Princeton University, Baltimore, Washington DC where I had glimpse of the human development infrastructure of your great country as we drove miles and miles.
You made me interacted with many people, whom perhaps I will never meet again without you in sight, especially, your bereaved parents who are dump-struck by your painful, brutal and untimely departure.
Mary, I wish the dead could hear so that you would know how wounded we feel of your tragic death. This is particularly so because I am one of those few Africans who have immensely benefited from your outstanding contributions in the field of our profession and my University education for the 7 years you were here with us in Uganda.
You made a difference in so hostile a world to which you were hospitable and amazingly loving. A hostile world that has prematurely put an end to your life and robed us of a kind, intelligent, hard working, and caring person who always did more than asked for in her friendship and in her job.
Thank you for letting me live through your stories of strength, exemplary lifestyle, dedication to work and my landmark historical travel with you to your great country you so untimely left.
May you find favor in Christ Jesus, the author of eternity?
Simon Aluma, Uganda
Mary will be missed by many of us in Uganda especially the Rakai team where she worked very hard to promote professional growth through training and dedication to duty. To us in Rakai, Mary was more than just a Lab director but also a friend, a sister and a mom to many.
Mary has gone but her image will live with us for a very long time to come.
Weird and wonderful Mary.
We had so much meaningful and simpl joyfull fun back in EBB to the extend that we were even suspected to be lovers. God must have taken you back this early out of jealousy; you're the coolest mum, the best friend and the worst darts player -untill a Club baridi is served- and somehow you're now no longer with your 'holy trinity' -the girls.
I am stupendified at the freak possibility of you not walking this surface anymore and truly hope Jim moves into parental duty, hey, he is a great dad and possibly a better one with a bit of breathing space. Thumbs up.
Love you, always will.
..you can leave your hat on..
Have a laugh and a dink on me.
Jan Molenaar
My friend, my beautiful friend. My heart is breaking with the knowledge that I will not hug you again, that I will not laugh with you again.
I was so lucky to have you in my life, to have you and the girls, I miss you all.
Girls, I have no direct contact with you, but I am working on this. I need a hug, if only over the phone. Take good care !
Why oh why ??
It is heartwarming to know how many lives can be touched by one person in their lifetime and beyond. I knew people in Mary's family though not Mary in person, but am here to send support to the many who did and to share that by your words and the tears they have brought please know that Mary's desires and efforts will be continued and will flourish. Please keep sharing her stories like you have here. Thank you, Mary, for all you have inspired and all that you continue to do.
Mary, you and your family were such an integral part of the social life of Entebbe that even for the five years since you've left we still continue to reminisce about the fun times we had with the "Meehans". I really felt you would return to Africa some time in the near future - and be a reality in our lives again. We are all so upset that you have gone and our hearts go out to the girls. Caileigh, Shannon and Aidan are such wonderful, amazing kids and are testimony to your enviable mothering skills. They, together with your research work are your legacy to the world and you will continue to be remembered for a long, long time. Much love from us all and rest in peace.
Unbelievable! I remember you being so thankful that none of you had been maimed, or killed on the dangerous roads here in Uganda....
What an inspirational example of everything a mother should be, to her three adorable girls. I remember the first time Aidan jumped off the top board at the Lake Vic pool, one Sunday...you were soooooooooo upset to have missed it -because you were studying for your Masters degree. I feel very humble when I delve deeper into the Mary I never knew -and realise what a huge difference you have made to everyone you met -both socially and professionally. I'll pray for your darling girls - promise. God Bless xxx
What I remember most about Mary was her smile- it would make you smile too and somehow your day would turn brighter.
I first met Mary through email- she was in Uganda and I had started my first real job post-college as the Rakai project coordinator at Columbia. Even through her emails you could sense her enthusiasm and spirit. After I changed positions and moved to Hopkins as a coordinator, I would remember the whole office preping for the huge # of boxes of samples Mary would send our way.
Mary also made my first trip to Uganda a wonderful experience. She took me to a restaurant by a golf course, where I tried my first taste of goat stew. She also helped plan our trip to go rafting on the Nile and was so excited to hear about our adventure when we returned. These were experiences I will never forget and Mary made them what they are.
Mary has been so helpful with my dissertation work and she was always willing to help answer questions and share her ideas.
I am blessed to have known Mary.
We will all miss her very deeply.
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