2 Wellesley Women Named 2020 Commonwealth Heroines

WELLESLEY, MA — Two Wellesley women were named 2020 Commonwealth Heroines. Marilyn Lee-Tom and Patricia “Patti” Quigley were named 2020 Commonwealth Heroines. Lee-Tom was recommended for the award by Senator Becca Rausch and Quigley was recommended for the award by State Rep. Alice Peisch.

The annual Commonwealth Heroines celebration recognizes women from across the state who "perform unheralded acts daily that make our homes, neighborhoods, cities and towns better places to live." State legislators are responsible for recommending women within their districts for the honor.

Lee-Tom is an attorney who has volunteered hundreds of pro bono hours to assist immigrants to become citizens through The Right To Immigration Institute in Waltham. Over the past two years, Marilyn has assisted victims of abuse and asylum seekers to apply for U.S. citizenship. She also has run a program in Waltham for homeless people, the Community Day Center, and greatly expanded their services and secured a new, larger home for the program.

"Marilyn is a joy as a colleague, friend, co-conspirator, and boss," the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, which gives out the honor, wrote, "You will never laugh more or eat better food than when Marilyn is in your corner."

Quigley is an outspoken advocate for women's issues and became aware of the vast differences between her experience as a widow in America and the treatment of her counterparts in Afghanistan following September 11. In 2007, Patti joined Razia’s Ray of Hope Foundation to fulfill their mutual dream of educating the next generation of Afghan girls to end cycles of poverty, despair, and terrorism in Afghanistan. She is currently the Executive Director.

"She is a founding board member of the National Charity League Wellesley Chapter, where she helped mothers and their daughters collaborate on philanthropic activities to support area nonprofits,"the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women wrote.

Click here for the full list of Commonwealth Heroines.