Few people can locate the North Star in the heavens, even though it has helped humans navigate since the dawn of the species. When most of us look into the night sky, we feel lost by all the points of light, and it’s rare to find someone who can make sense of that world by understanding the power of true North.

Doctor Marcia Valerie Tanur, who passed away surrounded by loved ones on Feb. 12, 2022, was someone who knew truth and followed it all her life. People who felt lost, alone or powerless were inspired by Dr. Tanur’s surefootedness and willingness to pursue social justice wherever it led, and she became a guiding star in her own right.

As a provider at Harbor Care Health and Wellness Center (HCHWC) and the Medical Director for the agency’s methamphetamine treatment program, Dr. Tanur worked tirelessly with the most vulnerable patients. “She was a woman and a doctor who wholeheartedly cared,” according to Dr. Graciela Silvia Sironich-Kalkanm, M.D., Nursing Director at HCHWC, who spoke during a celebration of life honoring Dr. Tanur on Feb. 24.

“She was so compassionate, so understanding .... She was truly an exceptional woman who cared for others. I am honored she has been a part of my journey,” Dr. Silvia told assembled guests at the Welcoming Light conference room at HCHWC and more than 50 online mourners.

Dr. Tanur followed her North Star wherever it led, whether it was the low-barrier health center, a confidential free health clinic in Watertown, MA, for immigrants who were uninsured that she helped establish, or to South America to provide relief services to those in crisis. Her journey is a testament to compassion, love and dedication.

At the celebration gathering, Cameron Holmes, Director of Substance Use Disorder Treatment Admissions and Outpatient Services l, said, “It was evident that [Marcia’s] passion and dedication radiated through her work. She was a fierce advocate for our patients and held hope for those who felt hopeless.”

Victoria Gurfolino, Dr. Tanur’s wife, spent 38 years travelling the globe with the beloved doctor, and yet the particulars of this life of dedication washed back over her when she collected belongings at the health center. Each book or photo brought back the powerful woman’s presence, reminding her longtime wife of the passionate life Dr. Tanur had lived.

“She was a force of nature,” Gurfolino said. “I never thought anything would stop her. She loved what she did. She loved working with people who were marginalized by society and medicine … She made a difference in everyone she met and served, but also that found a home in your hearts."

Gurfolino and Dr. Tanur’s daughter, Emma Chun Tanur, talked about the dedication the doctor had to her patients at the celebration of life, describing an exhausted woman pushing herself heroically to the front line. “I begged her not to go in [during the pandemic] to work, but she wanted to be there for her clients … She was just so selfless and dedicated to helping people.”

Henry Och, Harbor Care’s Chief Operating Officer, said that the agency will miss Dr. Tanur’s energy, passion, and focus on client care. “Marcia Tanur was a dedicated team member and fiercely passionate advocate for her patients and those individuals that are most vulnerable in our society. Her life's work has left an impact which transcends her time with us,” he said.

In life, Dr. Tanur was a role model for those blessed to work with her and the people she served, and in death she serves as a powerful reminder of the difference one person can make.

“Marcia truly embodied the values that Harbor Care holds,” Holmes agreed.

Many Harbor Care staff members attended grieving sessions scheduled by the agency and patients are encouraged to meet with agency clinicians to discuss their feelings over this significant loss.

In Loving Memory: Doctor Tanur