Mary Durham Adams, 90, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, has completed her journey of life. She is survived by the immeasurable love, of her three sons, Maurice, (Haddam, CT) Donald (West Jordan, UT), and Douglas (Midlothian, VA); 7 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Mary, so much more a verb than a noun, celebrated her 90th birthday on August 18th at her home, with 45 of her friends, hosted by her three sons. She was provided great end of life care, at Methodist Health and Rehab. Within her first month there she was being referred to as “Mayor”. Mary was the daughter of Frank and Grace Durham and had one brother, Robert, who preceded her in death. She was born, in Hartshorne, Ok; grew up in Fort Smith, was a beauty queen and attended college at the University of Arkansas and Sophie Newcomb, in New Orleans. She would also later obtain a degree in economics from Hunter College in New York City. While a young adventurous woman, she took flying lessons and would have had a pilot’s license had she not said “no!” to spinning out of control in a biplane. She met her husband Maurice at Fort Chaffee. Maurice served in World War II and was a highly decorated Lt. Colonel. Maurice’s brothers and sisters lured them to Idaho. They settled in Idaho Falls where they raised their three boys. Mary practiced law; served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Idaho Falls and four terms as the probate and juvenile judge of Bonneville County, Idaho. Her authority and demeanor enabled her to keep her sons on the straight and narrow. She was also admitted to practice law before the Us Supreme Court. After Maurice died from cancer in 1967, Mary ran for, and lost a very narrow primary race for Us House of Representatives. She moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and helped establish Jackson Hole Cable as a public stock company. Later she ventured to New York City and worked for a Fortune 500 company. When her mother was failing she moved back to Fort Smith and worked as a trust officer for Fort Smith National Bank. Mary was a woman of character(very strong as her sons would say); a woman of deep and abiding faith, full of kindness and charity; a woman of substance; compassionate, resolute, strong, smart, accomplished, forthright and honest. She had innumerable friends; loved bridge, had personality and lived a beautiful, vibrant life to its fullest. Funeral arrangements are with Fentress Mortuary, and a service will be held at 11:00 AM Monday, October 28th, at the Roebuck Chapel, at First United Methodist Church, 200 N 15th, in Fort Smith. The family will visit with friends after the service, and Mary will be reunited with her husband Maurice at the Fort Smith National Cemetery, at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, a charitable donation may be made to the American Cancer Society.
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