Nancy Farrell Adams

Nancy Farrell Adams 1924 – 2021 BRUNSWICK – Nancy Farrell Adams, 97, of Brunswick, passed away peacefully at home on Friday August 13, 2021, with family at her side. She was born in Newbury, Mass. on July 17, 1924, the daughter of Walter John and Tracy Richardson Farrell. She attended schools in Newbury and Stamford, Conn., graduating from Stamford High School in 1941. She received a B.A. from Bates College, graduating in 1945. The close friendships she made at Bates lasted a lifetime and she helped plan many of her class reunions. She later attended Shorts Secretarial School in Stamford. Her secretarial jobs included those with the Sterling Research Company and Lomas & Nettleton, both in Stamford. After moving to Rowley, Mass. in 1951 she was secretary to one of the partners at the Bingham, Dana & Gould law firm in Boston, a position she held for 9 years. In 1960 she married Clayton Rand Adams, a naval officer, and the love of her life. Clayton’s career as a naval engineer took the family to Newport News and McLean VA; Portsmouth NH; Hadley, MA; and to Brunswick, in 1976, when Clayton joined the Engineering Department at Bath Iron Works. Nancy loved living in Maine. She was an active and dedicated member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, frequently contributing her creative and organizational talents. She served on committees for the annual fair, for cook books, the altar needlepoint project, and was a member of the Holy Stitchers group. Nancy will be remembered by all who knew her as an exceptionally kind and sweet person, a down to earth Yankee with a ‘can do’ positive attitude. Her home was an oasis of contentment for all who entered. She had welcoming and kind words for everyone, as well as freshly baked cookies or a coffee cake just out of the oven to offer. She was an expert seamstress, quilter, and knitter, sewing exquisitely tailored clothing for herself and others. She loved gardening, and decorating her house with her own floral arrangements. She was a loyal Patriots football fan and watched many games, in later years, over pizza with her dear friend Ann. She retained her adventurous spirit throughout her life. She loved downhill skiing, taking it up while at Bates, and enjoyed many ski trips (as well as other outdoors and travel adventures) with friends during the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s. She reveled in a float plane ride over Moosehead Lake taken in celebration of her 91st birthday. She pursued her first ever passport at age 86; she and her daughter planned subsequent trips to Canada so she could use it. Those and other trips, especially to the family Cape Cod cottage, created deeply cherished memories for both. Her greatest joy was the simple but profound pleasure of time spent in the company of family and friends. She was predeceased by her parents; her infant son, Mark; her husband, Clayton; and her brother, Jack. She is survived by her daughter, Sarah J. Adams, and son-in-law Tod G. Leedberg of Concord, N.H.; her stepson, Ernest C. Adams and his wife Christine of Brookline, Mass.; three nieces and a nephew, and their families. Nancy’s family expresses their heartfelt appreciation to all her wonderful caregivers from the Neighbors organization in Brunswick who, for the last seven years, kept her happy, content, and comfortable in her own ‘cozy’ home. A private graveside interment will take place at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Westbrook. A memorial service will be planned for a later date. Memories and condolences can be shared at http://www.brackettfh.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 27 Pleasant St. Brunswick, ME 04011 or: Maine Historical Society in Portland https://www.mainehistory.org

Nancy Farrell Adams


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