Shirley Worrell Adams

Greenfield, NH Shirley (Worrell) Adams, 81, of Greenfield, NH, died peacefully in her sleep at home, on Aug. 2, 2016, ending a well fought battle with cancer. She was born Dec. 15, 1934, in Little Rock, Arkansas, the daughter of Alver and Ann Worrell. She was the fifth of six children. She was married for more than 50 years to the late Jarvis "Jerry" Adams III. Shirley graduated from North Little Rock High School in May of 1952. She graduated with a nursing degree from Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, TN. She worked as a nurse in Murfreesboro, TN, where she met her husband, an Air Force pilot. They were married on May 25, 1958 and for the next fifteen years lived in various parts of the country until his retirement with the rank of Lt. Colonel. Shirley enjoyed life as an officer's wife and a homemaker and was supportive of all her husband's endeavors, as they raised two sons and a daughter. In 1973, upon her husband's retirement from the military, her family moved to Greenfield, NH and she became a nurse at Monadnock Community Hospital. She worked there for 28 years, with the last 14 of those years working in the ICU before she retired. Shirley was devoted to her family and friends and she cherished her grandchildren. They enjoyed going on walks, trips to the library, reading, playing board games that only a grandmother could endure, and an important tradition was coloring eggs at Easter. She enjoyed the company of her friends and going out to eat, especially if it was seafood! If you needed a sympathetic ear, Shirley always had one available. Though she lived in NH for over 40 years, she never quite lost her Southern accent and you would likely hear her call you "sugar" or "sweet thing." Shirley adored her pets and enjoyed reading, sewing, knitting, quilting and sing-alongs around the piano. She was an avid Patriots fan and loved watching the football games. She was a member of the Congregational Covenant Church in Greenfield for 42 years where she enjoyed singing in the choir, making banners and volunteering at the food pantry. Shirley is survived by: two sons, Jarvis M. Adams IV and his wife Dorene of Greenfield, and Jim Adams and his wife Julie Dean of Peterborough, one daughter Julie Higgins and her husband Sean of Greenfield; two brothers Nikki Worrell and his wife Barbara of Sherwood, AR and William Worrell of San Antonio, TX; two nieces, Victoria Donovan and her husband Michael Goddard of Arlington, VA, and Melinda Kellogg from Oregon; 12 grandchildren, Jarvis V, Jenna, Jeremy, Josiah, Jessica, Joanna, Jonathan, James and Olivia Adams, Miles and Audrey Higgins and Jesse Fiorillo. She was predeceased by her brothers, Robert Worrell and James Worrell, and by her sister Melba Jean McGowen. A celebration of her life will be held at 2p.m., Sat. Aug. 13th, at the Greenfield Meetinghouse, on Forest Road in Greenfield, NH. The Reverend Doctor F. Daniel Osgood of Greenfield Covenant Church will officiate. A private burial will be held at Greenvale Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to: The Greenfield Congregational Covenant Church Food Pantry, 12 Depot Drive, Greenfield, NH 03047 or the Live and Let Live Farm, 20 Paradise Lane, Chichester, NH 03258.

---