Maryellen Adams (Finneran) Morris passed away April 25, 2021, of a neurocognitive dementia disorder at Brookdale Senior Living/Memory Care, Cary, NC, age 79. Born in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA, in 1941, she was the daughter of Thomas R. Finneran and Dorothy E. (Murray) Finneran. She was an only child.
She was a graduate of Springfield Township High School, Oreland, PA, Class of 1959, and of Beaver College, Glenside, PA, Class of 1963, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics.
In 1964, she married Wallace P. Adams. During the marriage, she worked for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor, initially in the Philadelphia office, and later in the Kansas City, MO, office.
The family then moved to Lexington, KY, and later to upstate NY due to her husband’s education and career. During this time, the family had two sons. Maryellen enjoyed gardening, with emphasis on crops to feed the family. She was an excellent weaver and made many beautiful placemats and runners, and a bedspread, highly valued by the extended family. Her enterprise, Hawkweed Hill Weaving, sold many weaving items on commission. She very much enjoyed sports and the outdoors. She played lacrosse in college, and loved cross-country skiing, sailing and scuba diving. She earned a green belt in karate.
Her family moved to Brookeville, MD, due to her husband’s job with the Federal Government. Here, she subsequently took a position at a bank in the Washington, DC, area. Her marriage ended in divorce in 1995. In 2003, she married Thomas C. Morris who was a real estate broker working in Olney, MD. Maryellen had become a realtor, working in the same office. Because both Maryellen and Tom had been previously married, this second marriage for each was an important transition and a high point in both of their lives. They worked closely together as a real estate team, helping each other in the daily challenges of selling houses.
They both loved to travel, and visited the Holy Land to better understand and relate to their faith. They also visited Egypt, England, Scotland, Ireland, and Vietnam. Their marriage was enriched by frequent visits to family in other parts of the country. Following retirement, they moved to Apex, NC, to be closer to family. Maryellen was predeceased by her husband, Tom, who passed away in 2018. Survivors include sons Geoffrey S. Adams (Thuan T.P. Lê) and Joshua B. Adams (Monica M. Horvath), four grandchildren, Sophia H.L. Lê-Adams, Chloe T.L. Lê-Adams, Karina S. Adams, Zachary R. Adams, and her ex-husband.
The family wishes to express its thanks to Brookdale Senior Living/Memory Care, and to Heartland Hospice serving Raleigh/Durham for their kindness in taking care of Maryellen.
Due to Covid travel difficulty, a memorial service will be held at a later date.
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