Marita Annette Adams died peacefully after a long illness at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto on July 4. She was 57.
Born July 28, 1956 in Toronto, Ontario, Adams was raised in the Arnprior area in the Ottawa Valley. After graduating from Victoria College, University of Toronto, she worked at a summer job as a multilingual tour guide at the Ontario Legislature, where she rose through the ranks to become the Executive Assistant to the Culture and Recreation Minister under Premier William Davis. At Queen’s Park she met her future husband John Adams.
Deciding to devote her work life to children she went back to school and graduated from the Institute for Child Studies at the University of Toronto. Adams was a kindergarten teacher, special education consultant, elementary school principal, and administrator, working at many public schools, including John Ross Robertson, Winchester, Gledhill, Hollywood, Sunnyview and Halbert. Adams was seconded to the Roots of Empathy charity as national director of programs.
Adams came to Lakeside on sabbatical in 2011, and was looking forward to spending lots of time in her second home. Unfortunately this was not to be, as she was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2012. The following year she became ill with a neurologic disorder.
A commemorative service to celebrate her life will be held in Toronto on July 28. A celebration will be held later.
The family would like to thank all the doctors, therapists, nurses, scientists, staff and institutions in Mexico, the United States and Canada for everything they did in trying to treat and cure this mystery illness.
Adams is survived by husband (Norman) John Adams, children Michelle and John, stepchildren Cheryl and Ryan (Marisa) and grandson Theo.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders at www.raredisorders.ca.