Alda Tully Passes Away

Alda Tully of Reading and formerly of Winchester, passed away on June 20 surrounded by her family at the Sawtelle Hospice House after suffering a series of strokes since 2008. She was 78.

She was born in Boston to the late Mary and Manuel Andrade and was raised in the back of her family’s convenience store in Cambridge until she and her parents moved to an apartment building on Highland Avenue in Somerville with her sister Mary, her uncle, the late Americo Teixeira and her grandmother.
Alda attended Somerville High where she was a majorette and, in typical '50s fashion, could be seen driving her friends around in her white Pontiac convertible with red leather interior. After high school she attended Mount Auburn School of Nursing where she met many of her life-long friends and began a career as a registered nurse that touched so many.

Alda worked at the former Symmes Hospital, Deaconess Waltham and as a private duty nurse for many years. Although she was known as a no-nonsense model of efficiency, she also employed a winning bedside manner. While at Symmes in 1962, she won the heart of the late Joe Tully, who was a recovering cardiac patient. They married in 1964.

After Joe's death in 1979, Alda worked tirelessly to raise and put three children through college on her own, pausing only to do things like paint her house with her father or host many themed parties for which she loved planning menus and corresponding decorations . Until her first stroke in 2008, she traveled frequently with friends and enjoyed summers at her second home on Cape Cod.

Alda was known as “Grammie” to her seven treasured grandchildren who brought her unending joy and who were unconditionally devoted to her.

Alda is survived by her children: Lynel Rinklin (and her husband John of Reading), Joe (and his wife Sue Rock Tully of Arlington), and Meredith Lambroff (of Reading); her sister Mary Gould (and her husband Dave of Reading), her grandchildren; Hunter, Mia & Brynn Lambroff, Jamie & Maddie Rinklin and Clara & Lydia Tully; her nephew Justin Gould (and his wife Sharon of Westford), her niece Alyssa Cullen (and her husband Scott of Woburn), and her caregiver, Rose Arthur, who was nothing short of a blessing to Alda and her family.

Alda will be remembered for her wry smile, her tough and determined attitude, her love of family, and the horrible potato dumpling recipe she brought back from the family vacation to Pennsylvania Dutch country.

Alda’s funeral will be held from the Douglass, Edgerley and Bessom Funeral Home 25 Sanborn St. (corner of Woburn St.) Reading on Saturday, June 23, at 9 am followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Agnes Church 186 Woburn St., Reading, at 10 am. Burial to follow at Wildwood Cemetery, Winchester. Funeral home visiting hours will be Friday from 3-7 pm.

As Alda had great concern with helping and easing the burdens of others, she often sponsored needy children in other countries, sewed items for church bazaars, donated to local charitable drives and volunteered at local organizations. To honor her caring spirit, donations can be made in lieu of flowers to Saint Vincent DePaul, in memory of Alda Tully, c/o Saint Agnes Church, 186 Woburn Street, Reading, MA 01867 to assist local residents who are struggling to make ends meet.