It is with great sadness that we have learned that Viola Lennon, co-Founder
of La Leche League International and co-author of The Womanly Art of
Breastfeeding, passed away peacefully in the Chicago area on Friday, January
22. Service and memorial details will be made available as soon as possible
on the LLLI web page.
Viola Lennon was born in 1923. She credits her mother with having the
strongest influence on her philosophy of breastfeeding and mothering,
saying, “My mother portrayed breastfeeding as an enjoyable experience that
brings you close to your baby.”
In 1951, Viola married William (Bill) Lennon with whom she had ten
children. Edwina Froehlich, Viola’s friend from college, invited her to a
meeting at the home of Mary White’s home in 1956, and she quickly joined the
others.
In 1972, Viola took on the important role of Chairman of the LLLI Board of
Directors, a position she held for five years. During this time, she helped
guide the LLLI Board in the formalization of the policies and procedures for
running this growing organization, as well as in defining the organizational
philosophy and principles. When LLLI’s finances took a downturn in 1984,
Viola spearheaded our “Second Founding” and later became the Director of the
LLLI Funding Development Department, a position she held for many years. Vi
developed close personal relationships with many generous donors who
supported LLLI’s efforts financially and contributed in many ways to the
success of the organization.
When she left her staff position as Funding Development Director, she
dedicated her time and effort to the expansion of the Alumnae Association,
becoming one of its strongest proponents.
Viola says, “Breastfeeding… led me to self-discovery and to a greater
appreciation of the full humanity of the babies who were entrusted to me.
Each woman needs to trust her own instincts, her own feelings, and her own
sense of what will work for her with each baby. Women in the 1950s had
forgotten the wisdom of previous generations in relation to breastfeeding.
Mothers who tried to breastfeed on their own were almost always destined to
fail.” She laughs when she adds, “The neighbors sent their children to watch
me breastfeed because they knew the children would not see it anywhere
else!”
