Adriana Motta Houk

Adriana Motta Houk, age 79, of Arlington, Virginia, passed away, suddenly and unexpectedly, of heart failure on Monday, July 29, 2024, at 11:21 AM. Adriana was born in Rome, Italy, on November 13, 1944. The young parents were Solange (née Minassian) Motta and Marcello Motta. Her adoring mother was French. Adriana was an only child. Adriana married James Edwards on May 2, 2003, in the District of Columbia. It was her second marriage.

As a small child in Rome, she was schooled by French nuns. Her father was the Middle East Marketing Manager for Alitalia Airlines, and the family resided in her teen years in Tehran, Iran. In Tehran she attended the Jeanne d’Arc School and the British Institute, operated for children of westerners residing in Iran. After moving to the United States in the late 1960s, she earned an Associate of Arts. Her education molded her into a “citizen of the world.”

Adriana worked at the American Institute of Architects, several prestigious architecture firms including Sverdrup and John Carl Warnecke, and finally the Association for Maternal and Child Health Programs. Her grace, diplomacy, and language skills were her calling card her entire working career. A casual conversation with Adriana, even a brief one, would make the day brighter for anyone. She was the consummate listener, and her gentle way put anyone at ease. She formed friendships that lasted many decades and spanned thousands of miles.

Adriana loved travel, especially across Europe, including river and ocean cruises and rail sojourns. Her beloved Italy was often the lodestar that guided the ship to its final destination. At her death she had racked up most of the capital cities of Europe and the Far East.

Adriana drank deeply from the font of cultural opportunities available in the Washington area. She was a connoisseur of classical music, especially big pieces from the Romantic Period. Beethoven and Rachmaninoff were her musical soulmates. Any Puccini opera performances that came to town were a must-see. She was a frequent attendee during each National Symphony Orchestra season. She frequented embassy open houses and museum receptions, and always worked the room to find an interlocutor who spoke Italian or French.

Her wit, sunny disposition, and strong Italian spirit were unmatched. She is survived by her spouse. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Heart Association. She will especially be missed by residents of the Belvedere Condominium in Arlington.

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, August 23 at 2:30 PM at St. Stephen-Martyr Catholic Church, located at 2436 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037. Please consider using the metro rail or bus as street parking will be limited.