Rory Kosanovich

Rory Christine Tappan Kosanovich, 77, known to many as Tutu- Yaya, passed away in Charlotte, North Carolina at 1:34 am on Wednesday September 3rd after a six-year battle with dementia. Originally born in Indiana, Rory spent her youth traveling all around the world with her parents-her favorites being Liberia and Indonesia where she hoped to visit again before she passed. She is preceded in death by her parents Walter Tappan and Lucy Amstrong Tappan, and her devoted husband David Kosanovich.

Rory attended St. Mary of the Woods college where she graduated with a BA in Fine Arts. She and her husband settled in Matthews, North Carolina where they raised their daughter Christine. She worked as a librarian for many years and spent her free time crafting, dipping her hands into many practices but particularly sewing, knitting, and embroidering most notably. She was a profound lover of art and creation and was immensely talented at every single art form she experimented with. She sold her creations in consignment shops all around the Charlotte area, building a beautiful network of fellow creatives and friends. Her free time was spent exploring North Carolina with her family through historical house tours, trips to lighthouses or to her favorite beach, Ocean Isle, where she would hunt for seashells for hours. She had an incredibly generous and warm spirit, a playful sense of humor, and the biggest heart. Her smile lit up every room she entered and she was stubborn till the end.

Rory is survived by her daughter Christine Kosanovich Pratt, her brother Walter Tappan, her sisters Megan and Candace, her grandchildren Eilish and Isabel Pratt, many nieces and nephews, as well as all the friends she made along the way. Though she will be missed tremendously, she is at peace and resting finally, taking her place on the great mandala.

We will be having a celebration of life on Sunday, November 30th in Charlotte if you would like the location and time please email eilishpratt@yahoo.com