Marjorie Putnam Adams

1948 - 2021

It is with great sadness that we announce that Marjorie Putnam Adams of Mystic passed away July 7, 2021, after a long struggle with cancer ending with hospice care. She was always dignified, strong and kept her sense of humor throughout her ordeal at the hospital. Marjorie was born Dec. 7, 1948, in New York City where she grew up.
After graduating from Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., she returned to New York City but soon moved to Westerly, R.I. She worked at Ethan Allen in furniture and interior design for many years until its store closed in Groton. Marjorie loved to read, especially English and American history, Shakespeare, politics, music and Broadway musicals, especially Sondheim. She wrote out countless famous quotations on post-its all over her home. She was ever so kind and generous towards her family and friends all of whom loved her and also loved how she made them laugh.
Over fifteen years ago, she started a campaign to assure that her great-grandfather, Daniel Lucius "Doc" Adams, MD, "A Founding Father of Base Ball" would be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. She did years of research and contacted baseball historians and libraries all over the U.S. Doc created the position of shortstop and set the measurement among the four bases at 90 feet which prevails to this day. He also made the balls and supervised the "turning" of the bats. He was the author of the original "Laws of Base Ball" in 1857 and presided over the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club as its President on and off for over a decade until he retired in 1861. Over the years Marjorie amassed a large circle of friends and avid supporters of Doc's candidacy. She was hoping to witness a successful vote this coming December.
Marjorie was preceded in death by her dear parents, Daniel Putnam Adams and Adelaide Barkley Adams. She is survived by her sister, Nancy Adams Downey, brother-in-law, Robert Nathan Downey; nephews, Nathan Adams Downey and Daniel Jackson Downey; nieces, Anne Paddock Downey and Elizabeth Downey Silberstein, their spouses, their combined nine children; countless friends and a large, unofficial fan- club dedicated to furthering the legacy of Doc Adams.
Marjorie will be greatly missed. A private burial took place Monday, July 12, at Woodlawn Cemetery, New York, N.Y. A Celebration of Her Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on July 26, 2021, at the First Congregational Church in Stonington. Please email nad755@yahoo.com if you plan to attend. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Wounded Warriors Project or Yale New Haven Hospital, CTF Smilow Cancer Center, Office of Development, P.O. Box 1849, New Haven, CT. 06508-9979.