Adam Shoehalter

Adam Shoehalter Resident of Oakland, CA Adam Shoehalter, 48, died of cancer on Sunday, September 19, in Oakland, California. Adam was known by the many people who were drawn to his sharp mind, his outrageous humor, and his exceptional personal magnetism, as a bon vivant and lover of fun. The quintessential "people person," he went at life full throttle. His encyclopedic memory was legend. A veritable information bureau, he could summon up a trove of facts ranging from the esoteric to the practical. Adam's long history in the food business as a waiter, bartender and most recently, a part-owner and manager of the former Zax Tavern in Berkeley, earned him a reputation as a warm and welcoming host. He was a talented home chef, delighting family and friends with his delectable meals. He loved to cook, eat, share and talk about food. Travel was another of his passions. He and his long-term, loving companion, Michael, were happiest when discovering out-of-the-way places and little-known haunts, both locally and abroad. It was in living with cancer that Adam revealed his inner strength. He faced his certain death with grace - not a single complaint about the bodily insults dealt out by his advancing disease. Adam would joke with the nurses and make light of his increasing limitations while remaining clear-eyed about his poor odds for survival. His velvety voice, his stunning good looks and his uproarious laugh are remembered fondly by everyone who knew him. Adam is survived by his companion of 27 years, Michael Modos; his parents, Nina and Nathan Shoehalter of Berkeley; a sister, Jane Jeanneteau and her husband Marc of Touffailles, France; and a brother, David and his wife Gina of Stamford, Connecticut.