Jennie Joy Adams

Jennie Joy Adams, age 76, passed away on Friday, October 20, 2023 at her home in West Jordan, Utah. She was born December 19, 1946 in Bay City, Texas, to Geraldine Livengood and David Bearse. Jennie married Marc Adams August 13, 1977 in the Provo Temple, Provo, Utah. Jennie grew up with her mother and older sister, Caroline. She was blessed with the extended family of her mother’s parents and brother. Jennie was musically inclined, learning to play the piano. She attended and graduated from Palacios High School where she was a twirler with the marching band and played the drums in the high school’s band. After gradation, Jennie and her sister traveled to Massachusetts where they visited their father, a retired Lt. Col. in the Air Force, and met a lot of his family before spending time traveling in Europe. Jennie began college at the University of North Texas then transferred to Texas Tech earning her Bachelor’s degree. She taught middle school in the small town of Bowling, Texas. Then she moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, because she liked to ski, where she taught middle school before moving back to Texas to pursue her Master’s degree at Texas State University in San Marcos. While in San Marcos, she was office manager of the Coca Cola plant and received an award as a “winning young business woman.” She also became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After receiving her Master’s degree, she moved to Provo, Utah where she worked as a registrar in Continuing Education at Brigham Young University. She met Marc Adams and after a 3 month whirlwind courtship, they were married in the Provo Temple on August 13. 1977 for time and all eternity. Jennie and Marc moved to her home town, Bay City, Texas. She became a housewife and mother while Marc taught at the high school and then worked for Celanese Chemicals. Ethan came in 1979 and Joy in 1981. Because of Marc’s job, they moved to San Gabriel, California for a year. Marc’s youngest brother, Cleve, and his family lived in the vicinity and they enjoyed doing many things together. After a year they returned to Bay City. Their last child, Trent, came in 1984. In 1986 Jennie and Marc moved to Yuba City, California. Marc taught at the local high school. When all of the children were in school, Jennie went to work as an aide in the elementary school that her children attended. When Trent started high school, Jennie worked as a teacher’s aide at the high school. Then she became a home and hospital school teacher and finally became an independent study teacher. During this time she also held a variety of positions in the Church’s Relief Society and Mutual Programs. Unfortunately, around 2010 Jennie’s health started to decline. She had several operations in her abdominal area. Then she was diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease. She was not as mobile as before, but she adjusted to using a walker. They moved to West Jordan, Utah in 2021 to be near their son Trent and his family. Seeing grandchildren often was a big draw. The year of 2023 was not kind to Jennie. In January she fell and broke her left leg. Just as she was getting back to learning to walk well again, she went back to the hospital with what she thought was a bowel obstruction. It was worse. Part of the colon had twisted on itself cutting off all movement through the colon. Jennie had to have an ileostomy operation, which meant she had to have an ostomy bag the rest of her life. Just as she was becoming accustomed to the ostomy bag, she had to return to the hospital because of acute pain in the back. This time it was a compression fracture of one of her vertebrae. The doctors could not put a brace on her because of the ostomy bag. She went to Aspen Ridge East for rehabilitation. While there, she suffered a major stroke. Her left side was paralyzed and she could not speak except for one word answers, like yes or no. After two weeks, she decided to go on hospice. She came home and after 14 days, she past away the morning of October 20th. Jennie is survived by her husband Marc and her children Ethan (Erin), Joy (Caleb), and Trent (Kirsten), eight grandchildren, and her sister Caroline (Jerry). She was preceded in death by her parents, Geraldine Livengood King and David Bearse. A viewing will be held on 9:00 am Thursday, October 26, 2023 at the Church on 7150 South Callie Drive, West Jordan, Utah 84084. Her funeral will follow immediately at 10:00 am at the same location. After the funeral, the interment and dedication of the grave will be at 11:30 am at the Lehi City Cemetery 1525 North 600 East, Lehi, Utah 84043. We are grateful for the care Jennie received at Intermountain Medical Center and Aspen Ridge East Transitional Rehab. We are especially thankful to Aspen Ridge Home Health and Hospice for their extraordinary care of Jennie. Please share memories and condolences at www.serenityfhs.com.

Jennie Joy Adams

December 19, 1946 - October 20, 2023