Rev. Betty Conrad Adam

Born in Houston on the 29th of September 1939, to Grace Teer Conrad and George W. Conrad, she attended Roberts Elementary School, Pershing Junior High School, and Lamar High School. She went to Baylor University for her freshman year and graduated from The University of Texas, where she was a Kappa Alpha Theta and earned a BA in English and Mathematics. She continued her studies at University of California Berkeley where she earned an MA in English and American literature. Returning to Houston, Betty entered Rice University intending to pursue a PhD in English; and there her career path changed.

Always the student, Betty was studying French at The Alliance Francaise de Houston to keep up on her requisite courses when she met her husband, Ken Adam. Ken was a young lawyer beginning his practice at Fulbright and Jaworski. The academic met the lawyer, and the two were married soon thereafter. In time, they were blessed with two sons, Mark and Michael. Betty changed her academic work to philosophy, and, early in her married life, graduated from Rice with a MA and a PhD in Philosophy. Betty then began her life’s work as a Lay Chaplain at MD Anderson Hospital.

Drawn to ordained ministry, Betty attended Houston Graduate School of Theology and pursued her eventual path to ordination as an Episcopal priest. Upon ordination, she was assigned to Saint John the Divine in Houston as Lecturer-in-Residence, and later joined the clergy at Christ Church Cathedral, Houston. Here Betty found a spiritual home for more than 30 years, interrupted only by a brief leave to pursue studies as a Merrill Fellow at Harvard Divinity School. She began her Cathedral work as the Canon Pastor and retired as the Canon Theologian.

Betty was always a teacher and a visionary. In her time at the Cathedral, she founded Brigid’s Place, a non-denominational center focused on study and support for women. From this seed came other ministries for both men and women. She also began a Spanish language service at the Cathedral. In 2010 Betty was instrumental in founding Compassionate Houston Inc., a non-profit celebrating The Charter for Compassion which recognizes the compassionate foundations of faith teaching that are shared by many denominations. Through the efforts of Compassionate Houston, Inc., the city received recognition as a Compassionate City; and Compassionate Houston, Inc. has worked with the city through several programs that help with homelessness, mental illness, and other important causes. Additionally, Betty continued teaching at the Cathedral, and many of her activities continued for years after her “retirement.”

Continuing her interest in the role of women in the Church, Betty authored “The Magdalene Mystique: Living the Spirituality of Mary Today.” She also co-authored with April D. DeConick, and musicians Becky Baxter and Sonja Bruzauskas, a dramatic Holy Week play, “Easter in Memory of Her,” a musical meditation, which has been performed at the Cathedral on Holy Saturdays.

Betty was preceded in death by her mother, her father, and her brother, Dr. George W. Conrad Jr. She is survived by her husband of 49 years Ken Adam; her sons, Mark Adam and his wife Heather, Michael Adam and his wife Alana; and by her five grandchildren, Kendall Adam, Theo Adam, Henry Adam, Audrey Adam, and Brady Adam.

The funeral service is to be at ten o’clock in the morning on Thursday, the 14th of July, at Christ Church Cathedral, 1117 Texas Avenue in Houston.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in Sander’s Hall.

The family will gather for a private interment at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances and floral tributes, the family requests that memorial contributions be directed to Christ Church Cathedral, 1117 Texas Ave, Houston 77002; Compassionate Houston, Inc. at 2401 Fountain View Dr., Ste 312-PMB, Houston, TX, 77057 Houston, Texas, or the charity of your choice.