Juliet (Judy) Ann Adams

March 17,1962 – March 18, 2025

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Juliet Ann (Judy) Adams who passed away peacefully in her sleep at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton the morning after her 63rd birthday after a long battle with liver failure.

Judy was born in Georgetown Guyana to Carmen and Cedric Adams.  She was the youngest of 7 children in her family and the only girl. Judy is predeceased by her mother and father and three of her brothers, Colin, Leroy and Clifton Adams. In November 2002, Judy experienced another tragic loss in the passing of her uncle, Louis Harewood, who was her father figure and caregiver from the time she was a very young child. She called him ‘Dad’ throughout her whole life. Her father, Cedric Adams, passed away in December 2002, so that was a very difficult season of life for Judy.

When Judy was still a very young baby, her mother brought her children to Barbados, the country where Carmen was born and where she established a new home for her family. Judy’s early years were spent in the home of her grandmother, Ivy Gittens (Harewood), hereafter referred to as ‘Gran’, who also was taking care of several other grandchildren. It was a busy, bustling household, but Gran loved having her family around her.  Judy enjoyed growing up in this extended family setting and thrived on the attention and love showered on her by Gran and the many cousins and older siblings living in the same household. She was devastated and inconsolable when several of her cousins left Barbados to join their parents in England – another great loss for her.

When Louis Harewood moved to Canada to pursue further educational opportunities, he promised Judy that he would bring her to Canada as well. True to his word, Judy came to live with Louis and his family in Edmonton Canada on a cold and frosty day in January 1981. He could have picked a warmer month! Judy used to laugh about the first time she opened the door to go outside and quickly realized how cold it was and shut the door! At that time Louis and his wife Sharon had two young boys, Mark, almost 7 and Nathan, age 2 ½. Judy’s transition into the busy Harewood household and life in Canada required major adjustments by everyone, but they all made it work. 

Judy completed her high school education in Barbados, so she wasn’t in Canada long before she enrolled in the University of Alberta where she completed all but 1 course towards a Bachelor of Arts degree.  She had a particular interest in political science due primarily to an excellent professor who sparked her interest. Judy maintained this interest in politics throughout her whole life in Canada and had well informed opinions about politics at various levels of government.  

Judy’s work experience in Canada focused on serving adults with physical and mental health challenges. She was a group home manager for a non-profit organization for a number of years where she enjoyed the challenge of advocating for her clients and developing policies to improve their care. She also represented her organization on a number of city boards and committees, including a committee tasked with improving a public transportation system (DATS) for vulnerable clients. She also worked in a group home in Northeastern Alberta when the family moved to that area. Judy was a strong advocate for vulnerable adults and she continued to provide a voice for individuals who did not have a voice until health issues limited her ability to continue this line of employment.

In the fall of 1997 Judy married Kevin Mason, whom she met through one of her co-workers. At the same time, she received word that her mom had passed away. This season of life was very difficult for Judy, and to complicate matters further, her marriage was a troubled relationship that did not last long. Judy tried to make it work.  Although they never formally divorced, Judy and Kevin had minimal, sporadic contact after a short period of time living together. 

Judy will be remembered for her many passions and strengths, especially her love and devotion to her extended family. She had a strong commitment to keep in touch with, and offer support to, family members who lived in at least three different countries. She loved to travel and visit them whenever possible. Although she had not lived in Barbados on a permanent basis since she was a young child, she visited whenever she could. To supplement these visits, Judy made very good use of a phone plan that allowed her unlimited hours of conversations with relatives and friends.  She had a particularly close relationship with her cousin and best friend, Richard Stuart.  So, it was no surprise that Richard came from England to care for Judy when she was preparing for a possible liver transplant in February 2025. Unfortunately, the transplant was not possible, but Richard stayed and provided daily, supportive personal care for Judy right up to the last day of her life.

Judy was a cherished member of Louis Harewood’s family in Canada. She watched her two nephews, Mark and Nathan, grow up and establish their own families and careers. She was an active participant in family events and adventures and enjoyed making lasting memories. Louis’ passing in 2002 was traumatic for the whole family and it took a long time to figure out life without him. However, Judy continued to be a deeply loved member of her family in Canada.  Over the past 10 years as Judy’s health deteriorated, Aunt Sharon was a major source of support, filling in as Judy’s ‘secretary’ and ‘uber driver’ to make sure she was on time for numerous appointments, medical procedures and hospital admissions. Judy’s passing was a major loss for her aunt and cousins in Canada, as she was a cherished member of the family for over 44 years.

Judy had many interests in addition to all things political. For example, she loved to read and grow things, such as peppers, strawberries, potatoes, etc.  and she took great delight in sharing her gardening adventures with other family members. Also, Judy loved to walk and explore the world around her. She wore out many pairs of shoes over the years, but that didn’t slow her down.  She was the family expert on all aspects of city-wide transportation systems and had many interesting stories to tell about her adventures.  

Judy developed an intimate knowledge of the health care system in Alberta, due to her significant health issues. She handled these challenges, including breast cancer, with the usual determine she displayed in any difficult situation.  However, it was the diagnosis of liver failure in 2015 and the need for a transplant that eventually was too much for her physical body to over come. 

Judy was a fighter, a person determined to live life to the fullest each and every day. She will be remembered for her determination to make it through tough life situations, no matter what they were. Up until her last days in hospital, Judy was thinking about what she wanted to do as soon as she got out of the hospital. She knew she wasn’t well, but her focus was on living, right up until the last day when she told Richard ‘…don’t leave me behind; I am going home’. 

Judy impacted the lives of people who had the opportunity to do life with her. She leaves behind many family members and friends who would have loved to make many more memories with her. She is deeply loved and sorely missed by family and friends who will all need time to figure out life without her physical presence. 

Rest in peace, our dearly love Judy!

Family and friends held a private time of reflection to celebrate Judy’s life on May 25th in Edmonton, Alberta. Judy wanted to be laid to rest in Barbados, so internment will happen at a time still to be determined.