Marcia Adams' Obituary
Marcia Terwilliger Adams, resident of The Pines in Davidson, North Carolina, died after a brief illness with family by her side on December 19th, 2025.
Her beloved husband, Charles Collver Adams, preceded her in death by 16 years.
Marcia Zoe, the cherished only child of George Landis Terwilliger and Flora Backus Terwilliger, was born in DeKalb, Illinois on September 18,1931. Her childhood was filled with family fun as she had the good fortune of living in the same city as six first cousins who later in life considered her the matriarch of the clan. A conscientious student, she graduated at the top of her class at both DeKalb High and DePauw University. She and Chuck met at DePauw when they were the Alpha Chi Omega sorority and Alpha Tau Omega fraternity presidents and their chapters held a mock wedding to mark their union on a new service project.
Upon graduating in 1953 with a BA in Elementary Education, she moved to Madison Wisconsin where she taught 1st grade while Chuck got his master’s degree in American history. They married in 1954 while Chuck was in the service outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their daughter Debbie was born there. Later, when Chuck’s job with IBM led them to the Chicago area, daughter Ginny was born while living in Hammond, Indiana and son Mark when they bought their first house in Lansing, Illinois. In Lansing and in subsequent moves to Katonah, New York and Princeton, New Jersey, Marcia always created a warm and gracious home as she balanced motherhood and community involvement. She was a dedicated poll worker, a volunteer for the American Cancer Society, an alto in the choir of each church they attended and a member of many boards and committees. She was enthusiastically involved in her children’s activities, serving as a Brownie leader, attending swim meets, baseball and football games, theater productions and choir concerts, carpooling to youth group events and hosting many parties, sleepovers and impromptu gatherings. Her commitment to daily exercise led her to become the volunteer leader of a daily YWCA exercise class in Princeton which she then expanded to water exercise and continued wherever they lived.
Although trained for work with young people, she maintained that she found her true calling working with older adults leading Reality Orientation sessions with Memory Care residents and Chair Exercise in the Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing Units of care facilities. She was eventually hired as Volunteer Coordinator of the Merwick Unit of the Medical Center in Princeton, a job she loved. Despite that attachment, she willingly gave it up when an opportunity for early retirement arose for Chuck, consulting with IBM in Charlotte, North Carolina. They moved to Lake Wylie, South Carolina and enjoyed 20 years of tennis, golf and friendship in the River Hills Community.
They planned early for the final stage of life and returned to the vibrant life of a college town by moving to The Pines at Davidson at the age of 76. Marcia enjoyed auditing music classes and attending basketball games at the college, supporting the Charlotte Symphony, WDAV, the college classical music station, and the Davidson United Methodist Church along with numerous other charities, especially those combatting hunger. She was a huge fan of Steph Curry before the rest of us even knew who he was. Marcia was an ambassador for the Pines and made a point of getting to know new residents by hosting pie parties in her apartment after dinner together in the dining room. Despite declining mobility, she remained a loyal leader at church and used her culinary skills to mentor adolescent girls. Because she knew so many people and loved introducing her children and grandchildren to her many friends, one of her grandsons referred to her as “Mayor of the Pines”.
Marcia leaves behind her three children and spouses: Deborah Adams and Richard Gordon Leavitt of Dover, New Hampshire, Virginia Kaye Adams and Francis Collins Rack of Hilliard, Ohio and Mark Thomas Adams and Linda Hurst Adams of Cromwell, Connecticut. Her grandchildren and spouses/partners are: Timothy Adams Leavitt and Megan Middendorf Van Ness of Los Angeles, California; Andrew Stowe Leavitt and Katie Belle Leavitt of Revere, Massachusetts; Caitlyn Nicole Rack and Jeremiah David Daniel of Athens, Ohio; Collin Michael Rack and Hannah Grace Earlywine of Toluca Lake, California; Ryan Arthur Adams of Chaplin, Connecticut and Damon Charles Adams of Hamden, Connecticut. Her great-grandchild is Ember Cazimi Daniel.
Her memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 31st at the Davidson United Methodist Church at 2:00 pm with a reception following in the Davidson Room at The Pines. In keeping with Marcia’s zest for life, she expressed a preference for bright colors at her service to celebrate her life.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Davidson United Methodist Church Bags of Hope Fund to prevent childhood hunger, WDAV, or the Pines Resident Support Fund.
James Funeral Home is assisting the family, online condolences may be made at https://www.jamesfuneralhomelkn.com.
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