Mary Lou Adams
Retired Tewksbury Elementary Teacher
TEWKSBURY: Mary Louise B. (Best) Adams, age 69, a resident of Tewksbury for 36 years, passed away at her home on Sunday, June 21, 2020.
She was the beloved wife of Russell L. Adams for 46 years.
Mary Lou was born on January 8, 1951 in Oil City, Pennsylvania. She was the first daughter of the late Robert R. Best and Marie L. (Linotte) Best of Emlenton, Pennsylvania. She was raised in Emlenton and graduated from Allegheny-Clarion Valley High School in 1968. As a child, she enjoyed traveling with her mother and sister (often by ocean liner!) to visit her mother’s family in Belgium. In 1972, she graduated from Grove City College with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and a minor in French.
Following graduation, Mary Lou began her career as a 5th grade teacher in Butler, PA.
She met Russell in 1971 in Mercer, PA and they were married on July 14, 1973 before starting their lives together in Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg, Illinois. While living in Illinois, Mary Lou continued her teaching career and gave birth to two sons, Matthew in 1978 and Jonathan in 1983.
In 1984, the family moved to Tewksbury, Massachusetts. After taking time to raise her children, Mary Lou resumed her career by first volunteering and then serving as the director for Project CHARLIE in Tewksbury Public Schools. In 1995, she was hired full-time at the North Street School, teaching first grade for one year before continuing in third grade until her retirement in 2015.
Always interested in the history of the Town, Mary Lou developed a local history unit for the Town’s elementary grades. This led to her involvement with the Tewksbury Historical Society and serving on the Town’s 275th Anniversary Committee.
She was an active member and proud supporter of the Tewksbury Congregational Church. Most recently, she served on the Board of Ministries and co-chaired the Pastoral Search Committee for the current Pastor, Baxter Chism. Previously, she had chaired the Religious Education and Membership Committees, had founded Friendship Circle and the Women’s Evening Group, was an original member of Called to Care, and had served on both the Board of Deacons and Friendship Garden Committee.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by two sons, Matthew R. Adams and his wife Sarah of Chicago, IL, and Jonathan R. Adams and his wife Sharon Bielik of Stoneham; two grandchildren, Owen and Eliana; one sister, Nadine Karl of Franklin, PA; her brother-in-law, William P. Adams, M.D. and his wife Carol of Sedona, AZ. Mary Lou was a beloved aunt to her niece and two nephews, in addition to being loved by her Belgian aunts, uncles, and cousins.
She had a love of family, gardening and visits to the seashore. She was blessed with many good friends in the Tewksbury community and beyond and was forever being recognized as “Mrs. Adams” in the aisles of Market Basket by her former students.
A private memorial service for Mary Lou will be held at Tewksbury Congregational Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a memorial fund in her name by either mailing a check to Tewksbury Congregational Church, Memorial Gifts, 10 East Street, Tewksbury, MA 01876 or by going online to http://tewksburycc.org/, clicking on “Donate to TCC” button, and completing the “Memorial Gifts” section.