Mary H. Adams

Mary H. Adams

June 13, 1927 - June 12, 2021

Mary H. Adams died peacefully at home in Corvallis surrounded by family the day before her 94th birthday. She was born in St. Helens in 1927 to Hilma and "Heinie" Heumann. Her parents owned a bakery and coffee shop, and Mary grew up working hard stacking cookies, making donuts, and waiting on customers. At age 14, she got a special driver's license to deliver bread around town. She enjoyed 4-H (cooking and sewing) and practiced the piano every day. She played in a 10-piano ensemble, on the radio, accompanied the Girl's Glee Club and played for her St. Helens High School baccalaureate after being crowned prom queen. She won the Girl's League Scroll, given to the female who, throughout high school had been the "greatest inspiration to classmates and faculty."

Mary received a bachelor's degree from Oregon State College (now University) in 1949, majoring in Home Economics. She was Vice President of Pi Beta Phi, a member of Euterpe (a music honorary), Chair of the Student Board of Reference, and won Theta Sigma Phi "Woman of Achievement" and "Most Outstanding Senior Girl at OSC" awards.

After graduating, Mary married the love of her life, Robert "Bob" Adams, with whom she shared 67 wonderful years of fairy-tale marriage. Their affection for one another was obvious to all who interacted with them.

Mary taught two years of Home Economics before devoting time and energy to becoming a fabulous homemaker, raising two daughters, and teaching private piano lessons. She also became active within the Corvallis community, serving 12 years as the Service Chairperson for the Benton County American Cancer Society. She volunteered on the Benton County Mental Health Board, the Board of Directors for the Corvallis Music Association, the Scandinavian Heritage Foundation, as Trustee for the Good Samaritan Hospital, President of PEO Chapter AR, and a loyal member of the Corvallis Assistance League. In her "spare time" she enjoyed her "Birthday Girls" bridge group, dinner club, serving as a Camp Fire leader, and as a First Presbyterian Church Elder and choir member.

Mary and Bob were also members of the OSU Beaver Club, Corvallis-OSU Music Association and Symphony Society, OSU President's Club Foundation, Council of Regents and OSU Foundation Board of Trustees. Mary became President of the OSU Home Economics Alumni Association (now American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences). She served nine years on the College of Home Economics Development Council and was a member of the OSU Woman's Giving Circle. She spent countless hours on the Centennial Council helping to fund and dedicate the Bates Hall Family Study Center and Ethel Jackson Walker Recital Hall on the OSU campus. All this, while wearing orange and black at numerous Beaver athletic events!

Mary and Bob loved their family and adored watching their granddaughters grow up, never missing their concerts and sporting events. There were also many concerts in Mary and Bob's living room where they enjoyed playing duets together on their two grand pianos. During the holidays, Mary enthusiastically played Christmas carols at the piano with her family gathered around her. Mary and Bob kept a nightly game of German Rummy going into their later years, with a playful and loving competitive spirit. They traveled the world together, always bringing back gifts, stories, and photos to share.

Mary had a gift of hospitality. Everything she did was done with warmth, poise, graciousness, a loving spirit, and zest for life. She relished cooking, where her meals were garnished with exquisite table centerpieces, plenty of parsley, and apple or Bob's favorite lemon meringue pie.

With courage, she graduated from Hospice twice, always continuing to throw kisses, express gratitude, and to play her beloved piano.

Mary is survived by her sister, Joyce (Don); daughters, Kathryn (Mark), and Susan (Phil); granddaughters, Danielle (Daniel) and Julie (Matthias); great-grandsons, Silas and Hans, great-granddaughters, Evelyn and Luisa, and many other relatives and friends.

A celebration of life will begin at 2 p.m., Sunday, September 12, at the First Presbyterian Church of Corvallis. The Reverend Matt Gough will officiate. The service will also be live streamed at www.1stpres.org. Burial will be at Corvallis Oaklawn Cemetery.

The family wishes to express special gratitude to the First Presbyterian Church, Dr. Steven Athay, Dr. Emily Glick, Cassius McCray and Mary's wonderful caregivers, neighbors, Helen Ewan, Crystal, PEO Chapter AR and Lumina (Hospice) for their extraordinary and compassionate care.

"So, 'till the time I see you again, I'll have that uncontrollable yen for a girl who looks just like you with pretty blonde hair and eyes of blue that twinkle like diamonds rare. I've never seen a face so fair. It just leads me to exclaim, the girl like you bears your name! With love, Bob" (1949)

"Woo Hoo!" Mary and Bob are together again!