George Ann Adams

Longtime La Porte resident, George Ann Adams, age 80, passed away peacefully on June 26, 2019 at her home. Left to cherish her memory are her devoted children, Joanne Badeaux, Diana Adams Roye, Denise Baine, and Robert Adams. Their spouses Bobby Roye, Bert Baine, and Karen Adams were family, too, when “Mother” needed something done, a shared recipe, or an inquiring phone call about a family member. She was affectionately known as “Grammy” to her eight grandchildren; Jeremy & Jeff Roye, Bill Badeaux, Rebecca & Rachael Baine, Cypris & Sydney Adams, Kenneth Depew; and two great-grandchildren; Julian Roye and Sophie Brunet. Grammy could be counted on to bring homemade bread and pies to holiday gatherings, a cake for your birthday, and to pull you aside for “a chat”. She is preceded in death by her son, Greg Adams; her husband of twenty-two years, Archie Adams; her parents Leon and Gertrude Mottesheard; her sister Kay Bolton; her brother Tom Pena; her in-laws Noah David and Pauline Adams; and her high school sweetheart, Ray Jarzombek. Being the oldest, George Ann Mottesheard was nicknamed “Sukie” by her surviving siblings; Susan O’Rourke, Margaret Mottesheard, Lisa Aylor, Dan Mottesheard, and Paul Mottesheard. There was mutual love and respect between her surviving aunts; Margaret Davis and Hazel Clark. There are lots of cousins, nieces, nephews, friends, co-workers, and neighbors who had their own special times with George Ann and will miss her. George Ann lived in Texas her entire life; born in Pharr, attending public and Catholic school in Mission. As a child she performed in dance recitals, loved to read books, and was sent to summer camp. At age 10, George Ann Mottesheard was recognized as an honor student in 1949 by the Mission Public Schools. George Ann attended 8th grade at St. Paul’s School in Mission, Texas and was awarded a diploma signed by Monsignor Daniel Laning, an important person to the family. She began her freshman year in 1953 at Mission High School where she was a twirler performing at football games with the band and the pep squad. Her family moved to west Texas in 1955 and she graduated from Snyder High School in 1957. George Ann Mottesheard married Archie Adams in October 1957 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Texas City. She raised her young family in Houston, and then moved to La Porte in 1970 where she resided for 48 years. During her life, George Ann worked various jobs starting with a tea room where she learned how to make homemade pie crusts and other desserts. In the 1970s, she and other family members worked in her husband’s business, First Edition Jewelry, in Pasadena. Archie managed rental property and George Ann, along with their children and children’s friends, would get recruited to clean out, paint, and mow. Over the last 30 years, she remained friends with co-workers at Forrest Services, Comfort Supply, Total Safety, and Brighton Homes, even after retiring in 2014. At home, George Ann enjoyed growing tomatoes in her garden and all kinds of flowering vines and plants. She shared those passions through conversations, outings to nurseries, tours of gardens, and friendly competition between her siblings, children, and neighbors with their flowers and tomatoes. Some were lucky enough to get a piece of her tomato pie. While raising her young family in Houston, she took her kids to mass and to CCD classes, and to spend time with both sets of grandparents. As her kids grew up, she signed her kids up and drove them to all kinds of activities such as scouts, little league baseball, girls softball, summer camps at the Y, swimming lessons at a neighborhood pool, trips to the library, tap and ballet lessons, cheerleading, band practice, and day trips to Galveston beach where they would meet up with her sisters’ families. “Aunt George Ann” and her sisters would take turns trading kids to spend the night at each other’s house. George Ann volunteered for Brownie and Girl Scout leader; attending overnight camps with her girls and organizing summer day camps that included little brothers too. As a mother, she cooked for her family, expected chores to be done before fun, and rewarded excellent report cards. Her children fondly remember trips to Garner State Park, a stomach lurching road trip to El Paso, and wild times going to the dirt track races to watch Jerry Aylor win. As a sister, “Sukie” is also remembered for having an early passion for music; playing her teenage collection of LP records at home. She loved to share art in many forms with her siblings, children, and any friends she could drag along for the experience. In the 1970s to 1990s, there were rock operas “Jesus Christ Super Star”, “Hair”, and “Up with the People”; laser light shows, art festivals to purchase small artwork, and a 3-week trip throughout Europe. More recent years, they discovered the art car parade, symphony performances, pop concerts, Cirque, tree sculptures in Galveston, and graffiti art in downtown Houston. Family and friends knew George Ann loved to discuss controversial topics. She was interested in hearing different opinions while sharing her own opinion on a subject. She loved to talk about, but not brag about, her grandchildren and their latest experiences and successes. Most of all, George Ann loved getting together with her family and keeping everyone connected. George Ann lived a long life and thus had her share of happiness and sadness in a marriage, in welcoming new family members, and saying hard goodbyes to those she loved. Much love and appreciation for our Mother was shared by family and friends at her joyful 80th birthday party, a day before her stroke. Her grandson, Jeremy Roye, wrote and sang a poignant song to her and the attendees that summed up her life called “Cake, Wine and Cigarettes”. On Saturday, July 13, 2019, a Celebration of her life will be held at Grand View Funeral Home, 8501 Spencer Hwy, Pasadena, TX 77505. The family will receive visitors at 1:00 PM. At 2:00 PM, the service will be performed by Rev. Jack Womack of Hope Community United Methodist Church. At her request, her ashes will be spread by family at a later time. If you wish to make a memorial donation in lieu of flowers, you may send it to Hope Community United Methodist Church, 2838 Lily, and Pasadena TX 77503. https://hopecommunityumc.org/online-donation After leaving the funeral home, the family has invited the attendees to meet at Pipeline Grill at 4:00 PM, because there can’t be a celebration in our family without food!