Livonia: At age 79, Jan passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 11, 2023 at the Episcopal Church Home in Rochester, NY. She was born on April 3, 1944 in Coudersport, PA to the late Franklin “Bub” and Alta Tucker. Jan is predeceased by her beloved husband, Richard “Dick” A. Adamson. Survived by her daughter, Carrie (Rob) Whitehead of Honeoye Falls, New York; her brother Frank Tucker of Clifton, NJ; her grandchildren, Alexander “Alex” and Oliva “Livi” Morabito; her close friends, Karen (Dick) Rowley of Livonia, NY, Sarah (Steve) Hoff of Lima, NY, and Vada (Wayne) Holmes of Springwater, NY; and numerous nieces, nephews’ cousins and dear friends.
Jan’s family is tremendously grateful for Karen and Sarah’s friendship and support. Your presence helped lighten the burden and we know that mom felt your presence and love. We would also like to thank the staff of Rochester Regional Health Hospice Care for making mom’s last days comfortable and the staff at the Episcopal Church Home and The Landing of Brighton.
Jan, nicknamed “Happy” by her father, grew up in Coudersport, PA in “Rubbertown”, just down the block from Dick Adamson. When Dick was stationed in Alaska while serving in the United States Air Force, Jan thought that he might want to hear what was going on back home and began writing him.
Jan attended Rochester Business Institute in 1962, which is where she met Vada Holmes when they became roommates. Vada would be Jan’s matron of honor when she wed Dick on a warm winter’s day, February 26, 1966.
In March of 1970 Jan was acknowledged in the newspaper as “today’s woman in business” for her position as secretary, research and development at E.I. DuPont where she and Dick both worked.
In their early years, prior to the birth of their daughter, Dick and Jan rode their motorcycle and traversed the countryside in their green VW Bus.
Dick and Jan moved to South Livonia in 1978 where Jan started volunteering at Livonia Central School. She eventually began working as secretary of Special Education where she stayed until her retirement in June 2014.
The family moved closer to the village of Livonia and began attending church at the United Church of Livonia (now named the United Methodist Church of Livonia). There they both became very active in the church, volunteering their services any time they could. Jan was very active in serving during the numerous dinners and also served Rotary meals numerous Monday’s a month. It was at church where they met and became inseparable friends with Dick and Karen Rowley. After Jan’s husband passed away in 1999 she went on trips with Dick and Karen and other church friends to the Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii and Mackinac Island. Karen and Sarah Hoff, whom Jan met later, were inseparable companions to the end.
Friends and family are invited to call from 4-7PM on Thursday, June 15, 2023 at the Kevin W. Dougherty Funeral Home, 21 Big Tree Street in Livonia. A Memorial Service will take place at 11AM on Friday, June 16, 2023 at the United Methodist Church of Livonia, 21 Summers Street in Livonia, where interment will immediately follow at Union Cemetery on Big Tree Road in Livonia. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Alzheimer’s Association, 200 Meridian Centre Blvd Suite 110, Rochester, NY 14618 or to: United Methodist Church of Livonia, 21 Summers Street, Livonia, NY 14487. To share a memory or a condolence, please visit: www.doughertyfuneralhomes.com