Kathrine Adams 1951 - 2009
The sudden and untimely death of Kath Adams on 16th April at the age of 57 came as a great shock to many ringers. Kath was in seemingly good health and fine spirits having returned home only a few hours earlier from a walking holiday in the Brecon Beacons. Kath (née Ovens) was the eldest of three sisters and born in Hyde, Manchester. When Kath was a young child the family relocated to Swindon but by the time she had started senior school they had once again moved, this time to Shifnal in Shropshire. Kath’s father was Irish and as a result her school holidays involved visiting her relatives in Northern Ireland. Summer months were often spent helping out around her Uncle’s cattle farm near Enniskillen. As a teenager Kath joined the local youth club becoming a keen and active member. It was here that she met Chris Adams who she knew from school, albeit that he was ‘from the year below’. One of the many activities and trips the youth club organised was a visit to the top of St Andrew’s Church tower. Kath was successfully recruited and taught to ring by Richard Stevens. Shifnal at this time had a keen young band and as a result Kath made rapid progress to ringing methods. Regular Sunday evening quarter peals enabled Kath to extend her ringing repertoire to include Surprise Major. Undeterred by Chris taking her on a cycling holiday around the South Shropshire hills in blizzard conditions, they were married at St Andrew’s Church, Shifnal on a sunny day in August 1971. Kath enjoyed the social side to ringing and there were often parties at their house including Sunday evening handbell sessions. Sunday morning ringing was often accompanied with an invite back to 16 Lodge Close for tea, toast and a go on the new fangled computer thingy. Kath trained as a nursery nurse and worked in the suburbs of Wolverhampton. With the birth of daughters Rachel and then Jenny, Kath gave up her job to bring up the children. In 1980 Chris obtained a training post at British Telecom, Yarnfield and as a result the family moved to Eccleshall. Needless to say that it wasn’t long before they were heavily involved with local activities as well as the usual tower and North Staffs Association events. As their daughters got older, Kath went back to work at Greenhall Special School in Stafford. As part of her eulogy, Karen Milligan the school’s Head teacher praised and recognised Kath’s endless patience, understanding and eternal optimism enabling her to fully focus on the needs of the children. In recent years both Kath and Chris had moved to part time working giving them longer weekends to spend with their two young grandchildren. The extra time also allowed for another hobby of theirs, hill walking. In 2003 they took on a holiday flat in Church Stretton for its’ easy access to the Longmynd hills. As a result, Kath became a Sunday band member at Stretton and a regular visitor to the Friday night practice at Stanton Lacy. Given Kath’s links with the Shropshire, Hereford and North Staffs Associations plus the numerous ringers she meet as a helper on the Keele ringing courses, it was no surprise that over 200 people (most of whom were ringers) filled Eccleshall church for the Service of Thanksgiving. If there is one thing that Kath will be remembered for then it surely will be her easy going and affable nature. Kath did not push herself to the fore but preferred to chat to friends and greet new faces. Kath will be greatly missed by both her family and her many ringing friends … Mark Adams
