Mari-Jon Elizabeth Adams

Mari-Jon Elizabeth Adams was born and raised in Northampton, Massachusetts, the daughter of Elizabeth Spencer Adams. She is survived by her four daughters, Chelsea J. Pullan and her husband Christian Moro and their daughter Remy C. Pullan of New Gloucester, Maine; Emersyn E. Pullan and her husband Christopher Dosch of Portland, Maine; Eleanor S. Pullan of Golden, Colorado; and Lucy S. Pullan and her husband Jonathan Benney of Dummerston, Vermont; her former husband, Gordon Pullan, and his husband, Paul Lanoix of Boston, MA; and her siblings, Christopher Adams and his wife Christine of Florence MA, Hugh Adams and his wife Betsy of Easthampton MA, Jennifer Adams of Framingham MA, and Elizabeth Adams of Raleigh, NC; and a group of amazingly supportive friends.

She filled her life with passion, purpose, and people. She left an enduring mark on the people and communities she touched. Community always came first for her. She believed our responsibility to one another was essential, and she lived that belief daily.

Family was her greatest joy. She was the proud mother of four daughters and their unwavering supporter in every interest and endeavor they pursued. She was always there, rain or shine, on the sidelines, in the stands, and behind the scenes, cheering the loudest and offering steady encouragement. Whatever the passion, she threw herself into it fully, becoming an active volunteer and a familiar face in each community she and her daughters belonged to. Her presence was constant, joyful, and unmistakable.

Her commitment to justice and service was unwavering. She worked with Habitat for Humanity in pursuit of affordable housing, including two transformative weeks on a Jimmy Carter Build in India, an experience that shaped her deeply and stayed with her for the rest of her life. Even after her formal work ended, she continued volunteering on Habitat builds everywhere she lived, from Massachusetts to Colorado to Maine, never hesitating to pick up a hammer if it meant helping someone have a safe place to call home. She devoted her career to improving communities through affordable housing and economic development in Massachusetts and even in her "retirement" continued offering her expertise in Erie, Colorado and Maine.

She was deeply politically engaged, dedicating her time and energy to local and national campaigns, canvassing, phone banking, instilling the importance of voting and civic responsibility in her communities. She believed that showing up mattered, and did so time and time again. Her spirituality was a quiet yet powerful force. She believed in the strength of the human spirit, optimism, and possibility of meaningful change.

Her curiosity about the world was boundless. She was a lifelong learner, always reading, asking questions, taking online courses, and teaching herself languages with CDs borrowed from the local library. She knew bits of German, Spanish, Japanese, and Hindi, and believed that even attempting another language was an act of respect and connection.

After high school, she spent time in Germany, where she learned German and developed a lasting belief in the power of language and cultural exchange. That belief shaped both how she raised her children and how she moved through the world, with openness, humility, and wonder.

When her daughters left for college, she opened her home once again, becoming a host mother to twenty international students over several years through the International Language Institute in Northampton. Through hosting, she deepened her understanding of different cultures, formed connections with people from around the world, and found great joy in welcoming new perspectives into her life.

Biking was one of her great loves. In her twenties, she led bike tours across Europe, finding freedom and connection on the open road. Later in life, she looked forward to spin classes and long rides, always chasing that same sense of movement and joy. She dreamed of biking through Italy and New Zealand, a dream she fulfilled in recent years.

The joy she found in becoming a grandmother was unparalleled. She recently moved to Maine to care for her granddaughter, Remy, a role she held with deep love and pride. Summer was marked by blankets in the backyard, watching airplanes overhead, splashes in a kiddie pool, and the quiet joy of savoring life's simplest, most perfect moments.

She leaves behind her four beloved daughters, her granddaughter Remy, a wide circle of family and friends, and a world undeniably better for having known her.

We now step into a new chapter, one shaped by her absence and by her love. She has moved into light. When you see fireflies at night or hear a quiet Allons-y, her favorite expression for welcoming each new day, know that she is there, gently urging you forward, and always will be.

A celebration of life honoring Mari-Jon (MJ) will be held on Saturday, February 7, at 11 AM at First Churches of Northampton, 129 Main St., Northampton, MA 01060

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Mari-Jon to Habitat for Humanity in the communities she served: the Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts; Boulder, Colorado; and Portland, Maine.