Hallie Myrna Verrill Adams

Hallie Myrna Verrill Adams

What do you say about a woman who drank in life and all it had to offer? She loved the life adventure and set out to accomplish as much as she could in the time she was given on this earth.

One of my mother's favorite movies was "The Sound of Music". There is a song in this movie called "My Favorite Things". These were a few of mom's favorite things; red wine, french toast, ice cream, big jewelry, big hats, big purses, work, traveling and her family. She also loved a challenge and approached those challenges head on.

Her battle with cancer was one of those challenges. I never saw anyone fight so hard to save her life and if sheer tenacity and determination was all it took to overcome cancer, she would have succeeded. But sadly, cancer finally took her life on February 25th 2021.

Cancer may have taken her life here on earth, but it didn't win; because mom won the battle for her life, her eternal life, through Jesus Christ the Lord. She is with the One who created her and was there waiting for her as she was ushered into the presence of her Lord and Savior.

Hallie Myrna Verrill Adams was born in South Paris, Maine. She is proceeded in death by her husband Charles Augustus Adams, her father, Thomas Anthony Verrill, her mother Virginia Verge Verrill, brothers Cleveland Verrill and Thomas Anthony Verrill Jr.

Her husband, Charles, passed away just before their 60th wedding anniversary on February 15, 2015.

Hallie is survived by her children, Carol Johnson Chase and her husband, Graham, Brenda Adams LaChance and her husband, Dennis and Bruce Charles Adams, She also is survived by her grandchildren Tres Jordan LaChance and his wife, Megan, Logan Allen LaChance, Molly Chase Minerly and her husband Bryan and their daughter, Hallie's first great grand daughter, Hope, and Sam Chase and his wife Sarah. She also leaves behind her sisters, Jackie Nichols, Maxine Dillahunty and her husband Don, Leigh Rhys and husband Dulais and Celeste Ann Marks and her husband Dennis.

Hallie grew up in Paris Hill, Maine and attended grade school at Lincoln School, a one room school house, taught by Mrs. Scribner. She then went on to graduate from Paris Hill High School. She was married June 25, 1955, to Charles Augustus Adams, and moved to California. They had two children, shortly there after in 1960, they moved to Arizona where Charles was hired by Motorola, a job he had for 50 years.

They purchased an acre of land in Scottsdale for $5,000 in 1969, where they built their first home and raised a family. They built a New England style home which seemed a bit out of place for the Arizona desert, but they loved it.

Hallie, joined the Arcadia Woman's Club in the 1970's and soon became president of her club where she volunteered to help the Arizona Girls Ranch and the Arizona Children's Hospital in Tempe.

She took a job working for a metal detecting company, called Bounty Hunters, in sales and customer service, and was President of the National Treasure Hunters League before starting her career at Motorola. She worked at Motorola overseeing the manufacturing department.

Hallie soon decided to go to college to get degree in Business and graduated from Scottsdale Community College to help her career advancement at Motorola. She then decided to get her Bachelors Degree in Business at Phoenix Business College while continuing her career in management.

After Hallie retired from Motorola, she opened up a tea and gift shop in Mesa called Abbey Gardens. It was a one-of-a-kind place where you could have tea, delicious food and purchase unique gifts. She sold Abbey Gardens many years later and embarked on one of her most fulfilling adventures with a club named Toastmasters.

Toastmasters was one the most important commitments in her life. She loved helping others become better public speakers and seeing people blossom as their confidence grew. Hallie loved her clubs; Leaders for Tomorrow, Think Tank, Fountain Hills Toastmasters, Airpark Chatter and Paradise Valley Toastmasters, where she was an officer and mentor to the members. She sponsored 11 new members into the District 3 family this last year. Hallie conducted training promoted retention, and helped coordinate open houses and membership campaigns. She also attended the Toastmasters Leadership Institute and was a committee member on the District Leadership Committee in which she provided mentoring, valuable feedback and information for the committee.

Hallie attended area contests to help support her club members whether they were competing or not, and served as contest chair, contest manager or chief judge.

Hallie has devoted her life to the members and clubs of District 3. She worked tirelessly to sponsor a new club and mentor leaders including the new club extension chair. Hallie made sure her clubs knew where they were for the Distinguished Club Program and was always available to anyone who needed assistance. She was a precious and valuable resource for District 3 Toastmasters.

Hallie was a Distinguished Toastmaster, a past District Governor, the current holder of the District OTMOTY award, an active leader, and mentor to so many.

Mom, we love you and you will be dearly missed.