Doris Adelaide Adams

Doris Adelaide Adams, age 91, passed away Saturday surrounded by her family. Doris was born July 16, 1930, to Michael and Adelaide (Liesen) Coyne, one of five children growing up in the Historic East End which is now Riverside Drive. She told many animated stories of her youth, her school days with the nuns at St. Rose, and the unique challenges of the depression. She had several jobs downtown in her teens, including cutting at Premier Fabric Shop and working a soda fountain, which necessitated riding the streetcar. It was on this commute that she first laid eyes on Ralph (Ike) Adams who she would marry in 1950 at her beloved St. Rose Church.

In 1961 the then family of five left the East Side and moved to Delhi. Doris blossomed in the suburbs becoming president of the St. Dominic PTA, coached volleyball and kickball, was a Girl Scout leader, chaired the President’s Council on Fitness chapter and spent many years on the festival committee as well as driving for Meals on Wheels.  When the family joined Delhi Swim Club, Doris was a Board member and involved in many working committees.  She was at the club poolside nearly every weekday at 4PM, 12N on the weekend and stayed until closing. It was here she began her decades long love of tennis.  

Doris had several part-time jobs as a young mother, but her seasonal job with the IRS went full time in 1970. Her strong work ethic was rewarded with many promotions, and she climbed their ‘grade’ system quickly. In time she became a section chief and would travel to testify in criminal investigations. Ike and Doris moved to Miami Heights in 1978, then divorced in 1982. She pivoted to become a landlord, buying a multifamily on Ridgeview in Price Hill. Over the next 10 years she would renovate each apartment all the while working full time, traveling, playing tennis, enjoying a robust social life and making time to watch her grandchildren a few nights a week. She then moved to Beech Dell in Western Hills where she enjoyed spending countless hours in her beautiful yard and perfecting her interior decorating skills.

Doris retired at age 68 and spent the next few decades busy as ever, adding the Kiwanis to her calendar and following Jazz performers at local venues including Dee Felice. In 2014 she moved to Country Hills Estates where she met a new crop of great neighbors and friends, but Covid put a definite crimp in her social life and visiting with folks she enjoyed. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family, and though many are out of town she was grateful that all had visited in the last six months.

Doris is survived by her three children, Jody (Bradley) Gray, Ralph Michael Adams, and Lisa (Frank) Wetenkamp, 8 grandchildren, Jennifer (Kris) Johnson, Elizabeth (Joshua Hill) Gray, Emily (Ben Prokop) Wetenkamp, Nikki Wetenkamp, Frank (Alexandrea) Wetenkamp, John (Morgan) Wetenkamp, Ryan Adams, Ross Adams, and four great grandchildren, Ben and Cody Prokop, Grayson Adams, and Frances Wetenkamp, her brother Paul (Jean) Coyne and Norbert Coyne and numerous loving nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her sister Rosemary and brother Richard Coyne, and ex-husband Ralph (Ike) Adams.

Please join her family on Saturday, May 7th at the Farm in Delhi for a service at 12PM followed by a luncheon and celebration of life to share stories of this unique mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, hard worker, volunteer, coach, athlete, good friend and neighbor. Doris was respected and cherished by many and will be greatly missed.

If you are so moved, donations may be made to St Vincent de Paul  https://www.svdpcincinnati.org/ways-of-giving/donate/. Condolences may be sent to the family at dameadams@gmail.com.

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