Obituary of Joan N. Adam

Rensselaer- Joan Nolan Adam, age 89, passed away peacefully on September 13, 2023.

She was born May 31, 1934 in Albany, to John and Ella Nolan of Rensselaer. Joan began her career with New York State Social Services when she was seventeen years old and worked there until her retirement. She married Stuart Adam and resided in her childhood home with him in Rensselaer. 

Joan is preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Stuart Adam; her stepson, Stuart Adam; her parents, John and Ella Nolan; her brothers and sisters, Margaret Scambelluri (Joseph), Anna Mae Stocklas (Nicholas), John Nolan (Jane), Patricia Eldridge (Warren),  Eileen Schoonmaker (Allen), Bernardine Geier (Joseph), Geraldine Scharoun (William), and Frank Nolan (Marion), and her brother-in-law Michael Scambelluri; her nephews, Al DiBernardo, Robert Stocklas, Bill Schroeder, David Geier, Dennis Eldridge, James Nolan, James Scharoun, and her niece, Karen Miller. 

She is survived by her brother-in-law, William Scharoun, many nieces and nephews, friends, and acquaintances that were blessed with her presence in their lives.  

The youngest of nine children, Joan lived a life of love, compassion, and humor. She was present for all of her siblings and twenty-six nieces and nephews, their spouses, their children and grandchildren. She was instrumental in pulling the family together for holiday gatherings in the backyard, parades in the front, and invented celebrations of her own when Hallmark fell short. Christmas in July, Memorial Day, and Christmas in December were a few of the celebrations her family and friends anticipated every year. Joan loved people, knew our stories, cried with us, and celebrated with us. She spoke in puns, always lighting the darkest of times. In addition to the people in her life, Joan was a keeper of God's smallest and neediest of creatures. Cats were her first friends with fur, but dogs, skunks, opossums, and the like were soon to follow. August brought Joan to the Saratoga Race Track each summer, and she could name the winners, thoroughbreds, and underdogs alike. She will be missed by all she touched, and Heaven will surely be better with her there. 

Relatives and friends are invited and may call on Monday, September 18, 2023 from 4pm–7pm to the W.J. Lyons, Jr. Funeral Home, 1700 Washington Avenue, Rensselaer. Funeral will be from the funeral home on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at 10am and 11am at the Historic St. Mary’s Church, Lodge Street, Albany.  Burial in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery immediately following mass.

Contributions can be made in Joan’s memory to Whisker Animal Benevolent League P.O. Box 11190, Albany, NY 12211.