In Memory Of
Shirley Parnas Adams
1934
2021
Shirley Parnas Adams
November 21, 1934 — April 27, 2021
Shirley Parnas Adams passed away at her home on April 27, 2021 at the age of 86.
Ms. Adams brought a wonderful energy to all those around her, as a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She will be forever missed by many, including her daughter, Jennifer Roswold (Adams) and her husband James; her brother, Leslie Parnas; grandchildren, Zoe, Emily and Ella Roswold, Jeffrey and Robert Adams, and Kaylee Martinsson; and great-grandchildren Savannah and Gabriella Adams. Ms. Adams was also the beloved wife of the late Robert Adams and beloved mother of the late Jeffrey Adams.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1934, Ms. Adams was one of five musically gifted siblings. She studied music and received a bachelor of music degree from Lindenwood College. She studied music at Washington University and University of Iowa, where she received her Masters degree.
Ms. Adams won a Fulbright scholarship to study piano in Paris in 1958 and studied with noted pianist Lazare Levey and Jacques Fevrier. In the US, she continued her studies with William Schatzkamer and Rozina Lhevinne of the Juilliard School. She gave numerous solo recitals and concerto performances. She was active in performing chamber music concerts with members of the St. Louis Symphony and with her noted brother, cellist Leslie Parnas. She has been soloist with the St. Louis Philharmonic, The University Orchestra, The St. Louis Little Symphony, and the Bach Festival Chamber Orchestra.
Ms. Adams was church organist and a prominent piano teacher in the St. Louis area for many years. At 19, she was an organist at Trinity Episcopal Church in St. Louis. She was organist at Saint Peters Episcopal Church for many years and a piano instructor on faculty at Maryville College.
Ms. Adams married Robert Adams in 1960 and they enjoyed raising a family in University City and then in Clayton, Missouri where they made their home in a lovely old English Tudor across from Forest Park for many years.
When her husband passed in 2014, Ms. Adams moved to Olathe, Kansas, where she enjoyed spending time with her daughter, Jennifer Roswold, and her husband, James, and grandchildren Zoe, Emily, and Ella.
Ms. Adams brought her grand piano with her and continued to play and perform throughout her life. This included teaching her granddaughters Zoe and Emily and performing a beautiful recital at her home for friends and members of her new church family in the last couple years.
Her interests included estate sale hunting with her daughter, sewing, current events, and spending time with family. She enjoyed devoting some of her endless energy to home improvement, organization and decoration.
Ms. Adams was a bright light to her family. She was busy with one of her latest projects, landscaping and improving her patio where she enjoyed spending time with family, having backyard cookouts, and more.
She will be missed dearly.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the dog rescue shelter, Wayside Waifs, in Kansas City, MO.
https://secure.waysidewaifs.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app20115a
df_id=6062&mfc_pref=T&6062.donation=form1&NONCE_TOKEN=A42E01CE761180D1BA215EECE3730FE7
To leave a special message of condolence for Shirley's family, or to share a special memory of Shirley, visit the guestbook below.
Ms. Adams brought a wonderful energy to all those around her, as a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She will be forever missed by many, including her daughter, Jennifer Roswold (Adams) and her husband James; her brother, Leslie Parnas; grandchildren, Zoe, Emily and Ella Roswold, Jeffrey and Robert Adams, and Kaylee Martinsson; and great-grandchildren Savannah and Gabriella Adams. Ms. Adams was also the beloved wife of the late Robert Adams and beloved mother of the late Jeffrey Adams.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1934, Ms. Adams was one of five musically gifted siblings. She studied music and received a bachelor of music degree from Lindenwood College. She studied music at Washington University and University of Iowa, where she received her Masters degree.
Ms. Adams won a Fulbright scholarship to study piano in Paris in 1958 and studied with noted pianist Lazare Levey and Jacques Fevrier. In the US, she continued her studies with William Schatzkamer and Rozina Lhevinne of the Juilliard School. She gave numerous solo recitals and concerto performances. She was active in performing chamber music concerts with members of the St. Louis Symphony and with her noted brother, cellist Leslie Parnas. She has been soloist with the St. Louis Philharmonic, The University Orchestra, The St. Louis Little Symphony, and the Bach Festival Chamber Orchestra.
Ms. Adams was church organist and a prominent piano teacher in the St. Louis area for many years. At 19, she was an organist at Trinity Episcopal Church in St. Louis. She was organist at Saint Peters Episcopal Church for many years and a piano instructor on faculty at Maryville College.
Ms. Adams married Robert Adams in 1960 and they enjoyed raising a family in University City and then in Clayton, Missouri where they made their home in a lovely old English Tudor across from Forest Park for many years.
When her husband passed in 2014, Ms. Adams moved to Olathe, Kansas, where she enjoyed spending time with her daughter, Jennifer Roswold, and her husband, James, and grandchildren Zoe, Emily, and Ella.
Ms. Adams brought her grand piano with her and continued to play and perform throughout her life. This included teaching her granddaughters Zoe and Emily and performing a beautiful recital at her home for friends and members of her new church family in the last couple years.
Her interests included estate sale hunting with her daughter, sewing, current events, and spending time with family. She enjoyed devoting some of her endless energy to home improvement, organization and decoration.
Ms. Adams was a bright light to her family. She was busy with one of her latest projects, landscaping and improving her patio where she enjoyed spending time with family, having backyard cookouts, and more.
She will be missed dearly.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the dog rescue shelter, Wayside Waifs, in Kansas City, MO.
https://secure.waysidewaifs.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app20115a
df_id=6062&mfc_pref=T&6062.donation=form1&NONCE_TOKEN=A42E01CE761180D1BA215EECE3730FE7
To leave a special message of condolence for Shirley's family, or to share a special memory of Shirley, visit the guestbook below.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Shirley Parnas Adams, please visit our flower store.
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