Massachusetts USA
(d. 1998)

Tribute to Marie Wilkinson

Marie Wilkinson passed away recently, victim of a particularly nasty case of Alzheimers. Marie led meetings in Quincy, MA for many years in the mid-70s and 80s, advocating LLL philosophy at a time when even pediatricians seemed to feel that breastfeeding was not really worth the "trouble."

I wandered into one of Marie's meetings in 1974, pregnant with my first baby. I needed a little breastfeeding info, as I planned to give nursing a try for a month or so. No way did I wish to get too involved with these breastfeeding fanatics. Marie led me down the LLL path in just one session. She was such a great Leader, so patient with my ignorance. My baby arrived and Marie took the time to spoon feed me the facts of breastfeeding as well as the philosophy of LLL. By the time my second baby arrived, Marie had me on my way to becoming a Leader myself.

Marie and I spent many years in LLL together. I always knew I could count on her for advice and friendship. Each one of us has what I call a support circle, a group of kindred spirits that we know will be there, should the need arise. Each member of my circle possesses a unique voice, a particularity that no one else possesses. This winter, my support circle lost a particularly unique voice with the passing of Marie Wilkinson.

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Tribute by Wendy B. Buckley
Massachusetts, 4/30/98