Kathleen Marie (Kay) Adams

Kathleen Marie (Kay) Adams passed away in Napa Valley's Queen of the Valley Hospital on August 18, 2026. Kay was born in San Francisco, California, on August 23, 1933 and won a Most Beautiful  Baby in San Francisco contest in 1934.

When she was five years old, her mother moved her and younger sister, Colleen, to Sonoma, where her great grandparents had lived since the early 1900's. Her family occasionally lived elsewhere, but always returned to Sonoma. When a freshman in high school at the age of 12, Kay began working at the Toscano Hotel, (now a state historical site). When her mother moved the family to Holister, she remained behind, waiting tables at the Toscano Hotel in return for a room upstairs. She served such luminaries as Hap Arnold, Admiral Nimitz and Ty Cobb; the Toscano's

owner, Millie Walton, became like a second mother to her.

Kay graduated from Sonoma Valley High School at the age of 16, then married Al Adams at 17 years of age, when she was a freshman in college. She lived in one of the rentals at Von Sydows while Al served overseas in the Air Force during the Korean War. When Al joined the California Highway Patrol in 1957, their growing family was stationed in Southern California, until transferring back to Sonoma in 1963, where they opened Kay's Fabrics- which they owned and operated for over 43 years. During this time, Kay was active in the business community and served  on the Chamber of Commerce.

Kay's family joined the local Methodist Church in 1964 where she immediately immersed herself in music. She started the children's junior choir that first year, then began directing the adult choir, a passion she continued for 25 years. In 1984, she created a bell choir, (The New Wine Ringers),which performed not only throughout the Bay Area, but across the Atlantic in England. She led the bell ringers for two decades, and her love of music spilled out into the community, where she directed the Vintage House Singers until March of this year.

Dynamic and tireless, Kay filled her days with knitting, quilting, singing and learning new things; most recently she began taking Spanish classes on line. Over the years, she participated in recreational tennis and played a mean game of poker. Her travels included yearly trips to Oregon's Mercer Lake with the grandkids, where they fished, swam and roasted marshmallows around nightly campfires. She also enjoyed international travels with her husband of 75 years, (just recently the two celebrated their Diamond Anniversary at La Casa)

Kay is survived by husband, Al, daughters Pam, (Kathy); Patty, (Mike Briggs); Pauls, (Jim Marshall); by grandchildren: Dan Briggs; Vince, (Tiffany), Briggs; Stephanie, (Aaron Perkins); Alyssa Marshall, (Danny); and Jamie, (Matt Torres). She also leaves behind nine great grandchildren.

To paraphrase Hunter S. Thompson: Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving in a perfectly-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - martini in one had and chocolate in the other, shouting gleefully, "Whew! What a ride!" This was Kay.

Kay's family is grateful for ongoing support from neighbors Kathrina and Tom Deegan, and from Pastor Matt and her church family. She received wonderful care during her last days at Queen of the Valley. Special thanks to Doctors Mirda, Rasavi and Baron, and also to Nurse Lou and nurse's aide Annie. Thank you also to Dr. Verducci, who was a blessing during difficult times.

A celebration of life will be announced in the near future. 

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