Obituary for Mother Elaine C Adams
Constance Elaine Adams, affectionately known as Elaine, was the last surviving child of Courtney & Doris Marsh. The only girl in a house full of brothers she was the apple of her father’s eye, a relationship that she cherished her entire life.
Mother Adams was a Native New Yorker born to immigrant parents in Manhattan. Elaine was fiercely proud of her Bajun roots. Her developmental years were spent in The Bronx where she met her lifelong friend Eurita Dangler. The Marsh family ultimately relocated to Jamaica, NY enabling Elaine to graduate John Adams High School. Mother Adams’ early life’s desire to be a nurse was birthed by her natural inclination to help people. That pursuit changed after her heart was captivated by her future husband Ulysses Adams. He was hooked by her bright eyes and hence the moniker “Bright Eye” was born. They married in 1949 and celebrated 62 years of marriage until his death in 2012.
Bright Eye was a frugal person who knew how to make a dollar holler. She didn’t believe in wasting anything. One of her favorite sayings was “waste not, want not”. Elaine sewed and knitted clothes for her children in their younger years. She entered the workforce as they matured and ultimately retired as an executive secretary for a major pharmaceutical firm.
Two major loves framed Bright Eye’s life; Her Savior and Her Family. Her life was devoted to both.
The love of Jesus became real to Elaine in her teen years and she committed her life to Him. She grew up in a Brethren Assembly and fellowshipped there most of her life.The Lord led her to Mt Zion Baptist Church in the 1980’s where her husband the late Deacon Ulysses worshipped. Mother Adams was active in the Sunday School, Missionary Board, Jackson Chorus, Senior Choir, and the School of Religious Education.
Mother Adams loved people and enjoyed worshipping and fellowshipping with other believers. She often visited other churches and was comfortable with any worship experience that honored Jesus. Brooks Memorial Methodist was a home away from home for her . The relationships she developed carried over into her illness as members often came to minister and fellowship with her. A firm believer in talking to God about everything, prayer was a big part of her life. Neighborhood prayer meetings were regularly held in her home leading to the birth of two churches in the Queensbridge and Astoria neighborhoods . Throughout her life Elaine distributed hundreds of gospel tracts, Gospels of John, devotional books, and Bibles. All of her children and grandchildren at some point in there life received a Bible from her (some got several). Elaine kept a supply of Bibles that she would distribute at God’s direction. She was an evangelist in the purest sense of the word. If you met her you would hear about Jesus. Her Love for Jesus and His Word led her to continue her education at NY School of the Bible where she studied Greek prior to graduating. There was no greater love in her life than her love for Jesus.
A close second was her family. The love and care that she exhibited during Ulysses’s protracted illness was amazing. She refused to delegate his care to anyone else, she did it with love. Elaine’s children, grandchildren, and great grands were all recipients of her love and generosity. She was truly a Proverbs 31 woman and we call her Blessed!!!
Elaine was preceded in death by her spouse: Ulysses, parents, siblings; Leslie, Timothy, Albert, Lloyd, and son-in-law. She leaves a legacy of 3 children ,Yvonne, Dennis and Donald, daughter-in-laws, 11 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, sister-in-law Vera Marsh, nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless friends and acquaintances. We thank God for His gift of Elaine to us !!!
Mother Adams was a Native New Yorker born to immigrant parents in Manhattan. Elaine was fiercely proud of her Bajun roots. Her developmental years were spent in The Bronx where she met her lifelong friend Eurita Dangler. The Marsh family ultimately relocated to Jamaica, NY enabling Elaine to graduate John Adams High School. Mother Adams’ early life’s desire to be a nurse was birthed by her natural inclination to help people. That pursuit changed after her heart was captivated by her future husband Ulysses Adams. He was hooked by her bright eyes and hence the moniker “Bright Eye” was born. They married in 1949 and celebrated 62 years of marriage until his death in 2012.
Bright Eye was a frugal person who knew how to make a dollar holler. She didn’t believe in wasting anything. One of her favorite sayings was “waste not, want not”. Elaine sewed and knitted clothes for her children in their younger years. She entered the workforce as they matured and ultimately retired as an executive secretary for a major pharmaceutical firm.
Two major loves framed Bright Eye’s life; Her Savior and Her Family. Her life was devoted to both.
The love of Jesus became real to Elaine in her teen years and she committed her life to Him. She grew up in a Brethren Assembly and fellowshipped there most of her life.The Lord led her to Mt Zion Baptist Church in the 1980’s where her husband the late Deacon Ulysses worshipped. Mother Adams was active in the Sunday School, Missionary Board, Jackson Chorus, Senior Choir, and the School of Religious Education.
Mother Adams loved people and enjoyed worshipping and fellowshipping with other believers. She often visited other churches and was comfortable with any worship experience that honored Jesus. Brooks Memorial Methodist was a home away from home for her . The relationships she developed carried over into her illness as members often came to minister and fellowship with her. A firm believer in talking to God about everything, prayer was a big part of her life. Neighborhood prayer meetings were regularly held in her home leading to the birth of two churches in the Queensbridge and Astoria neighborhoods . Throughout her life Elaine distributed hundreds of gospel tracts, Gospels of John, devotional books, and Bibles. All of her children and grandchildren at some point in there life received a Bible from her (some got several). Elaine kept a supply of Bibles that she would distribute at God’s direction. She was an evangelist in the purest sense of the word. If you met her you would hear about Jesus. Her Love for Jesus and His Word led her to continue her education at NY School of the Bible where she studied Greek prior to graduating. There was no greater love in her life than her love for Jesus.
A close second was her family. The love and care that she exhibited during Ulysses’s protracted illness was amazing. She refused to delegate his care to anyone else, she did it with love. Elaine’s children, grandchildren, and great grands were all recipients of her love and generosity. She was truly a Proverbs 31 woman and we call her Blessed!!!
Elaine was preceded in death by her spouse: Ulysses, parents, siblings; Leslie, Timothy, Albert, Lloyd, and son-in-law. She leaves a legacy of 3 children ,Yvonne, Dennis and Donald, daughter-in-laws, 11 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, sister-in-law Vera Marsh, nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless friends and acquaintances. We thank God for His gift of Elaine to us !!!