Lennie Viola Adams, 83
Lennie Viola Adams, 83, passed away Dec. 27, 2005, at Brendan House in Kalispell. She was born Feb. 5, 1922, in Greenleaf, Idaho, to Leonard and Annie May (Ripley) Gray.
Lennie's family moved to Kalispell where she received her education through the eleventh grade from Flathead High School.
Lennie married Donald Adams Aug. 31, 1940, in Kalispell. They moved to the Seattle area during World War II. In 1945 after the war ended they moved back to Kalispell.
Don and Lennie owned and operated a neighborhood grocery store from 1945 to 1947. She stayed home for 10 years to raise her family. When she went back to work she started working for Bea's Boys' Shop. In 1955 she and Don purchased Bea's Boys' Shop and ran it until 1969. She worked at Woolworths as a clerk and Coast to Coast also as a clerk, retiring in 1982. Don passed away in 1982.
Lennie was a member of the Soroptimist Club, an active member of the First Baptist Church of Kalispell, and a Red Cross Volunteer.
She enjoyed knitting, and knitted over 100 hats for the Soroptimist club for children and newborns for the hospital. She liked word find puzzles and loved spending time at Ashley Lake in their cabin. She also enjoyed traveling with the Montana Tour and Travel group.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two brothers, LeRoy and Carson; and two sisters, Irene and Inez.
She is survived by two sons, Dennis Adams and wife Janet of Wallace, Idaho, and Doug Adams and wife Barb of Kalispell; also five grandchildren, Heidi Clary and husband Mike of Spokane, Jean Adams of New Jersey, Gail Bergstedt and husband Joel of Billings, Heather Atalla and husband Joe of Boise, Idaho, and David Adams and wife Salena of Kalispell; three great-grandchildren, Shawn, Anna and Adam; with many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services for Lennie Viola Adams will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, at Johnson Mortuary Chapel with Pastor Jim Sandholdt of the First Baptist Church officiating. Burial will follow at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, Thursday, Dec. 29, at Johnson Mortuary Chapel.
The family suggests memorials be given to the First Baptist Church, 301 West Wyoming, Kalispell, MT 59901.
Johnson Mortuary is caring for Lennie's family.