Obituary: Adams, Vivian Hays

ADAMS,
Vivian Hays

Died on March 25, 2012, six weeks after having been diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

She was born in 1930 in the small town of Lamar, MO, the youngest of five children in a loving family that valued the pursuit of knowledge and enjoyed playing and singing music together.

From childhood she aspired to play the violin in a symphony orchestra.

Despite long odds and a late start, through talent and hard work she built a successful career as a professional musician.

She played with the Austin Symphony, Muncie Symphony, Minneapolis Symphony, Oklahoma City Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Seattle Opera and the Spokane Symphony.

Vivian met Maxey Adams in Oklahoma, and they married in 1966 and spent the next 46 years sharing their love of music and travel and raising their son Derth and daughter Jennifer in Spokane.

Along the way she taught and directed school orchestras in Oklahoma City, Seattle, Coeur d’ Alene as well as the Spokane Junior Symphony and Spokane Youth Orchestra.

She also played in Festival Orchestras in Aspen, New Hampshire, the Grand Tetons and Sandpoint, Idaho and taught many students to love and play music.

Her passion outside of music and family was playing tennis and she made many lifetime friends on the tennis court.

The many people whose lives she touched will remember her kindness, integrity, humor, generosity, and great spirit.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday April 4 at 3:00 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane.

In lieu of flowers Vivian’s family suggests a donation to the American Cancer Society, the Spokane Public Library Foundation, or Hospice of Spokane.