MARY BARTLETT BUNGE

Birth date: Apr 3, 1931 Death date: Feb 17, 2024

Two celebrations of Mary's life will be held. The first will focus on her scientific work, and will be held at the Miami Project, where Mom worked for almost 30 years. It will take place Friday, June 7, from 10 am - 4:30 pm at th Read Obituary

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Becky

71w ago

Mary and Dick were always so welcoming to our family. They hosted our family during my husband David's terminal illness. We kept in touch, though for the most part we lived in separate countries, and I always looked forward to learning about Mary's contributions and advances in the medical field.

Mary and Dick were very supportive of my son Paul as he entered the medical field and to my daughter Sarah in her high school years. At my 25th wedding anniversary to my second husband, Mary very kindly presented a beautiful speech and an original poem to honour us at our celebration. Not only was Mary an exceptional scientist but she was a great poet as well!

It was a privilege to have been a part of Mary's life.

Allison

72w ago

I have many fond memories of visiting with Aunt Mary and always enjoyed receiving greeting cards from her - half the fun was trying to decipher what in the world she had written.

Our family's last visit with Aunt Mary was in March 2022 at her beautiful apartment in Florida. She and J had a long discussion about her scientific work and career, as well as possible educational paths for J. J was inspired to focus on bioengineering based largely on Aunt Mary’s history and prognosis of the future opportunities for J in the scientific world. The following year, J applied to engineering programs and was accepted into her first choice, where her major is bioengineering!

Sarah Bunge

72w ago

My first memories of Uncle Dick and Aunt Mary were way back in the 1980s when we visited their house in St. Louis. I loved playing with, or trying to anyhow, their Siamese cats.

The love Uncle Dick and Aunt Mary displayed toward our family was exceptional. Most of us already know how Dick and Mary selflessly dedicated their research careers to cure those suffering from paralysis, but far fewer know how much the couple was willing to sacrifice for the love of those dear to them. When my father David (Dick’s brother) was diagnosed with Leukemia, Uncle Dick volunteered to donate his own bone marrow in hopes of curing my father. Although the bone marrow transfusion was ultimately unsuccessful, our family will never forget how much love and care Uncle Dick and Aunt Mary shared with us during those difficult years.

Later on, in my high school years, my benevolent aunt and uncle helped to pay for my private schooling which was essential for my academic success and helped me later achieve a Master’s level education.
In my adult life, I always felt so grateful whenever I had the opportunity to interact with Aunt Mary. I admired her appreciation for books, her dedication to science and her openness to embrace all of life’s opportunities, even in older age. I am thankful Aunt Mary is celebrated by so many family members, colleagues and friends and that her legacy of helping others will continue through The Miami Project.

Lamya Shihabuddin

72w ago

I first met Mary and Dick when I joined the Miami project as a foreign graduate student. With their warmth and hospitality, Mary and Dick made the Miami project as a family and we were home away from home. Mary was my mentor, role model, colleague and friend. From discussion science and learning electron microscopy and how synapses look under EM to sharing sharing life lessons, she was an inspiration for me and many women in science. Here dedication and enthusiasm for research was contagious. She was always there for me both professionally and personally issues and for that I will be eternally grateful. Throughout the years our friendship flourished and Mary became our family friend. For the past decade we got to spend time with Mary at the Vineyard, where she hosted us, making dinners, sharing long chats, enjoying long walks, and watching the sunset. Will always deeply cherish these memories and our times together! Mary deeply touched and shaped many lives including mine and her spirit will live through all of us!

Scott Whittemore

73w ago

I met Dick and Mary in the early 1990s when they first interviewed to lead the Miami Project. Their scientific and administrative leadership shaped my shaped my scientific development. While I greatly valued that mentorship, it was their humanity and friendship that influenced me the most. I continued to collaborate with Mary long after I left Miami. Her rigorous science was the foundation of those publications. As she was an external advisor for our Center for nearly 20 years, I saw firsthand the amazing effects she had on our graduate students, especially the females, as a role model and mentor. She always made time to meet with them. Her influence on them will be manifested in their trainees as well. Interestingly, my personal path to becoming a neuroscientist began during my undergraduate studies (1980) after using this really cool Cell Biology paper by Mary and Dick of neural cell culture and electron microscopy as the basis oof my honors project. I would not have had the career I had without that paper. The scientific lights of Dick and Mary Bunge will continue to glow for multiple generatios of scientists. Scott Whittemore

Erika Suazo

73w ago

in honor of MARY.

Dr. Bunge was a woman I admired and will always do. She always shared her wisdom, and she taught me so many things professionally as well as personally. I will always remember, "it is what it is".

A lit candle with a soft flame, surrounded by small white flowers and green leaves, set against a warm yellow background.

James Guest

81w ago

My experience with Richard and Mary Bunge had a major impact on my career. Dick and Mary had exceptional powers of observation and Mary's artistic nature rendered her work consistently visually stunning. Mary introduced me to great art in many cities and through them I met many scientists that became friends. Well into her 80s, Mary could lead lab meetings with her wit and rigorous intellect. Both deeply inspired me to contribute to treatments for nervous system injury, significantly by their example.

Susana

81w ago

Picture from Mary Bunge's retirement event at the Miami Project, with former members of her laboratory.

Martin Oudega

82w ago

Mary was truly a remarkable person and scientist. During my years of working with Mary I have learned so much about life, people, being humble, being appreciative, being strong, and, yes, about science. As so many others before and after me, I also sat on her couch and discussed the latest findings, new ideas, and, often, life issues that were important. She was a very patient listener. I have fond memories of those hours in her office. They have contributed to the way I do science, and the way I stand in life. I think all who sat on that couch have benefited from her insightful ideas and advice, and from her powerful human spirit. There was a strength in Mary that was unparalleled. I may only wish that some of that strength rubbed off on me, on us. And if not, Mary’s spirit will be for always an inspiration.

Wendy Beukelman

82w ago

Aunt Mary was such an inspiration to me. I remember the time many years ago when I was still school-age, several of us were in a room visiting and someone asked Aunt Mary when she planned to retire. She looked very surprised at the question and said something like, “I don’t have any plans to retire. I love my work, I love what I do. I don’t have any desire to stop working.” That really had an impact on me, hearing what it looks like to live and work your passion. She remained an inspiration to me over the years. Who would have thought that a few decades later I would be working in a long-term rehab facility for spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury in Research? I, too, now am passionate about what I do and am so grateful to be a part of this work. Your mother was such a great role model for me, and I know, countless others.

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