Tribute to Carol Campbell

The Floating Hospital has sustained its mission for nearly 160 years because of the committed, open-hearted people on our team.

Carol Campbell, our former Foundation Board Chair, who passed away last month, was all in on The Floating Hospital’s mission. After hearing one of our patients speak at the hospital’s 2015 summer benefit, she implored a friend, a Floating Hospital employee, saying, “Tell me what I can do, how I can help — I’ll do anything.” Carol joined the foundation board, and during her first year, she helped shape it by tapping into her significant network of colleagues and resources. When the opportunity to be board chair arose, she jumped at it; as her devotion to The Floating Hospital’s mission grew, she mobilized people and groups to expand our programs and support our patients.

Carol was beloved by colleagues and friends who remember her for being full of life, for her wicked sense of humor, her love of animals, her magnetism with people, and her dogged pursuit of success. Her partner of many years, Malcolm Tulloch, observed that difficulties and roadblocks inspired rather than defeated her—not finding a way forward wasn’t an option.

“Carol would embrace problems as a way of dealing with them. She was very generous with her time, money, and affection. She was very positive, switched on, and aware of other people.”

In memory of her life and the life she brought to those around her, colleagues, former colleagues and loved ones share their reflections.

“Carol was one of the first people I met when I joined the board at The Floating Hospital. Her openness and her dedication were inspiring. It was a joy to work with her—she is sorely missed.”

— Joan Brancaccio, Foundation board co-chair & treasurer

“Carol was the most vibrant, charming, warmest, and generous person I’ve had in my life. She was the quintessential New Yorker: connected to everyone! She was my go-to person for where to get my hair highlighted, cut, or my eyebrows, to name a few. But, what I loved most about her was her generous spirit and love of The Floating Hospital. She was the one who brought me onto the board because her enthusiasm was contagious.”

— Charlene Prounis, Foundation board member, marketing committee chair

“Carol had a wonderful sense of humor and often used it to diffuse difficult or unpleasant situations. On one memorable occasion, we were on a plane, exhausted from a grueling business trip. Carol opened one of those crazy catalogs in the seat’s back pocket. The items struck a funny bone, and we giggled like schoolchildren the whole flight home. We would remind ourselves of that catalog when we needed a laugh, which was often—it worked every time.”

— Richard Porter, President, InPickleball magazine, marketing committee member

“She had this amazing ability to make people follow her. Carol was a connector, nurturing relationships with her special blend of charisma and devotion, and she was sheer fun to be around. She was the person you wanted to be with when you were stuck in a jam—or an airport. Carol was someone who prided herself on solving problems, from little things like finding a dog sitter for a client to helping a friend find employment. So many people are going to miss her.”

— Barbara LaPlaca, vice president communications & marketing

“Carol was the life of the party with such a desire to live life with only positive thoughts. As I had the opportunity to be her friend as well as her colleague, I can also say that her business associates usually became friends. Everyone wanted to be part of Carol’s network because she was smart, beautiful, and terrific. Her love of animals was also perfectly charming; they loved her back with great emotion. She will be missed so much!”

— Pat Haegele, senior vice president/group publishing director, Hearst Lifestyle Group, Foundation board member

“Carol Campbell was a natural-born salesperson. Not only because she was a master negotiator and a skilled communicator but because when Carol believed in something, nothing would stop her from convincing everyone around her to believe in it too. Indeed, Carol’s enthusiasm and passion for the people and projects she cared about were contagious. I’m one of many who were led to the Floating Hospital by Carol’s fervor for its mission. She used all of her talents, her generosity, and so much love to bring genuine support to this cause that was so close to her heart. I feel fortunate to have become part of Carol’s world, to bask in her exuberance and the light of her stunning smile.”

—Jane Francisco, editorial director of the Hearst Lifestyle Group, Foundation board member

“In a good way, she was a salesperson; she knew how to bring you in, get you to think about what we had to offer. No one thinks about this group of people that we help. Carol got that, and she was able to distill who we are and what we do in a matter of minutes. She would get people in the door.”

— Ann-Louise Lipman, manager events & special projects manager

“She was very good at being the person who leads the pack. It came naturally for her in a way it doesn’t always come to others. It was easy to sit with Carol and kill two hours; she was a great salesperson, and it made spending time with her easy. Her passing is a huge loss.”

— Sean T. Granahan, Esq., President & General Counsel