Adelaide 'Addie' Adamson

Adelaide "Addie" Adamson passed away peacefully Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, at Agrace Hospice Care in Madison, Wis., after a long fight against cancer. Born in Hempstead, Texas, on Sept. 3, 1939, to Roger and Billie Adamson, Addie was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, teacher and friend. She received her B.A. and M.A. degrees from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, in 1961 and 1964, and her doctorate of education from the University of Arkansas in 1988. Addie‘s calling was to teach, and over a span of 48 years she taught English to community college and university students, to inmates in prison rehabilitation programs and to international students working in the U.S. toward bachelor's and graduate degrees. While she spent some time as a college administrator, she always returned to teaching, and her students reflected her love with their honor and friendship through the years. Locally, she was a founding faculty member for NorthWest Arkansas Community College, a faculty member and administrator for the University of Arkansas and a faculty member for Spring International. A lifelong learner and scholar, she was an accomplished and intuitive astrologer and an avid student of history, literature, mythology, spirituality and human nature. She loved horses and dogs, and she shared her life and interests with countless friends from all walks of life. She took great pleasure in traveling all over the U.S., to Australia and to Jordan; she met these opportunities with enthusiasm and a love of discovering new cultures and points of view. She loved her family deeply and was particularly close to her grandchildren. She is survived by her son, Adam Lee Brown, daughter, Alyson Brown Thornton; five grandchildren, Amanda Boxley, Jesse Brown, Aaron Thornton, Nikki Thornton and Emma Thornton; three great-grandchildren; and her brother, Roland Conrad Adamson. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Julie Nell Stepp. She is also survived by hundreds of friends, including the Wild Women, her women's retreat group of 20 years, and her committed friends/caregivers during her long illness: Art Stepp, Connie Dooley, Kaye Bernard, Tom Wilkerson, Kathleen Johnson, Stephanie Meehan and Steve Wright. A celebration of her life will be held on April 20 from 1-3 p.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church Parish Hall, located on the corner of Dickson Street and College Avenue in Fayetteville. Heifer International was her favorite charity, and she also supported the World Wildlife Fund. The family would appreciate contributions to these organizations in lieu of flowers.