Sylvania Adell Adams

On Friday, September 6, 2002, Mrs. Sylvania A. Adams suddenly departed this life after a brief illness. “Adell,” as she was affectionately known, was born on September 7, 1944 in Baltimore, Maryland. She was the loving daughter of the late Otis White, Sr. and the late Dorothy Jones. Adell was educated in the Baltimore City Public School System where she attended the George Washington Carver High School. During her childhood she left home to live with her grandmother, the late Letty Johnson who raised her until adulthood. Adell was rarely seen without a younger sibling or cousin who she loved helping care for, and who looked up to her in return. On July 6, 1963 she was married to her childhood sweetheart, the late Willie Adams, Sr. Prior to Mr. Adams’s passing earlier this year, Adell and her husband a.k.a. “Billy,” had been together for nearly fifty years. Through this union they raised four sons. Many family members and friends characterized their relationship as “true love.” Adell worked for the Abacus Corporation as a payroll clerk until she became physically disabled. In 1975, doctors at university of Maryland Medical Institution encouraged her to undergo surgery for artificial knee joint transplants that they believed would enable her to walk again. Through physical therapy she did walk again for a period of time, becoming an inspiration for her family and the medical community. Adell’s surgery is listed as the first successful double knee joint transplant in the history of the United States of America, and remains a training tool in the University of Maryland’s Archives. Her surgery continues to help educate medical students learning surgical procedures of this type today. After her operation, she continued aiding her husband financially by filing individual tax returns, sewing and manufacturing clothing at home. Which was her passion, for her children and others. Adell was known throughout the community as the “Prom Dress Lady,” creating over three hundred dresses for young women. She also enjoyed crocheting. In her spare time she was always in a quiet corner reading a book. The Harlequin Romance Novels were her favorite and she still owns hundreds of books today. She was the family matriarch and all matters were normally presented to her for direction. Adell was strict regarding the education of her children assisted them with home assignments daily, and established a household rule that prohibited her kids from any outside or extra-curricular activities until their school work was complete. She was a strong woman and devoted Christian that taught her kids moral values and how to make the distinction between substance and style. Adell also played a valuable role in her community by counseling young people, giving advice to family and friends, giving each child on her block at least some time, and she became the President of the Edgar Allen Poe Homes Senior Citizens Association where she lived. She was proud of finally obtaining her General Education Diploma in 2001 at the age of fifty-seven years old. Prior to her passing, Adell was actively taking computer programming courses and planned to start her own tax filing business even though she was often very ill. She always believed that a person could accomplish anything as long as they trusted in the Lord, had the desire and belief that it could be done. Adell leaves a tremendous legacy for her family and friends. She will truly be missed by everyone that knew and loved her.Adell leaves to mourn: four sons, Gary K. Adams, Willie Adams Jr., Craig D. Adams and David B. Adams, Sr.; two daughters, Tracey Adams and Leticia Adams; three grandsons, Dwayne Craig Adams, Derrick Adams and David B. Adams Jr.; five granddaughters, Shawnea Adams, Kanitra R. Adams, Dennirah Adams, Sharniece K. Adams and Ziara Adams; five brothers, Ronald White, Otis White Jr., John White, Douglass Phillips, Clarence Jones Jr., Otis W. White and Steven Jones who preceded her from this life; seven sisters, Annabell White, Denise Turner, Tammy White, Darlene Pate, Barbara Phillips, Diane Jenkins and Debbie Jones; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and other family and friends.

Tributes

Sylvania Adell Adams

September 7, 1944 - September 6, 2002