Dorothy Ballengee Adams

Dorothy Ballengee Adams, 76, of Charlottesville, passed away on Friday, December 28, 2012, at a local nursing home.

She was born on May 4, 1936, in Russell, Kentucky, to Mary Lee Smith and the late William Edward Ballangee.

Dot moved with her family to Charlottesville where she entered Venable Elementary School. She graduated from Lane High in 1954. She and her other Lane classmates have remained close friends over the years, enjoying numerous class reunions and get-togethers. Dot went on to graduate from the University of Virginia with a Masters degree in Education. During her summers she would work as a counselor at Camp Strawderman, a rustic girl's camp near Woodstock, Virginia. An abiding appreciation for the ideals of Strawderman and many lasting friendships were formed. She shared this love with her daughters and granddaughter, creating for them many cherished memories.

After graduating from the University of Virginia, Dot taught at Hampton High for two years before returning to Charlottesville to teach at Albemarle High School.

She met Jack Adams in 1964 and they enjoyed 47 wonderful years of marriage; living first in Rochester, New York, then Central Florida, finally retiring in Charlottesville. Child abuse was a deep concern for Dot. After raising a family she went back to college and obtained a Masters degree in counseling from Stetson University For the following 10 years she taught parenting classes for "The House Next Door", a non-profit counseling firm in Deland, Florida. Dot loved to travel in the western states, the United Kingdom and Europe but her passions were photography, music and art. She sang in several church choirs and was a proud member of the Charlottesville Senior Center's "Second Wind Band". Her art projects included portraits, natural scenery, and still life. Still deeply passionate about the welfare of children, Dot also became a strong supporter of organizations dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty.

Survivors include her husband, John A. "Jack" Adams; two daughters, Karen Leigh Oxford and her husband, David, of Charlottesville, and Cynthia Lynn Ellstrom and husband, Rick, of Houston, Texas; and a stepson, John Walker Adams and wife, Cathy, of Deltona, Florida; six grandchildren, Lindsay Adams, Chris Oxford, Alex Oxford, Andrew Oxford, Jessica Oxford and Sinjin Ellstrom. A memorial service will be at held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday January 2, 2013, at First United Methodist Church in Charlottesville with the Reverend Al Horton officiating. Interment will be private.

To honor her compassion, the family requests that in lieu of flowers memorial contributions be made to the Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA at Charlottesville SPCA, P.O. Box 7047, Charlottesville, 22906 or to her memorial page at events.autismspeaks.org/tributes. or by mail at Autism Speaks, 1 East 33rd Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10016. Friends may send condolences to the family at www.hillandwood.com.





This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.