Gerald (Jerry) Adamson

Adamson—Gerald (Jerry) Adamson, 85, on March 11, 2021, surrounded by his family in Berkeley, Calif. Jerry was born on October 10, 1935, the eighth of eleven children, and was raised on a farm in Iowa. He contracted rheumatic fever when he was ten years old. Clare Trueblood, a doctor from the adjacent farm and great-uncle to Peter Trueblood of Strawberry Creek Meeting, was sent for. He determined how gravely ill Jerry was. Jerry felt that Dr. Trueblood saved his life, and remained deeply grateful to him for the remainder of his life.

Jerry moved to Berkeley, Calif., where he met and married Nancy Varney in 1956. They raised five children. Jerry and Nancy’s home brimmed with local and international friends. Jerry kept honeybees and chickens and had a natural understanding for how to build structures, fix machines, and heal sick animals. He was passionate about all forms of alternative energy, particularly solar.

Jerry worked at Donner Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley from 1958 until his retirement in 1989. He and Frank T. Lindgren coauthored several publications about lipoproteins.

Jerry’s brother, Frank Adamson, joined Berkeley (Calif.) Meeting in 1950 and remained a member until he transferred membership to Santa Cruz (Calif.) Meeting in 1989. Jerry and Nancy became Quakers by conviction under the care of Berkeley Meeting on September 9, 1987. Jerry continued as a Quaker for the remainder of his life. Nancy died on March 25, 2007, following a short illness. Jerry’s ashes will be buried next to Nancy’s ashes in the Waldron Island cemetery (San Juan Islands, Wash.).

In 2015 Jerry moved to his son David’s home in Newport, Ore., where he enjoyed meeting friends and taking nature walks until his health declined.

Jerry is survived by five children, Helen Adamson (Ferran Sancho Pifarre), Mel Adamson (Bent Vale), Susan Adamson, David Adamson, and Arthur Adamson (Claire); 15 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; six siblings, James Ralph Adamson, William Adamson, Ethel Adamson Patzer, Glen Adamson, Maxine Bennett, and Wayne Adamson; sisters-in-law; nieces and nephews; and close friend J.B. Jones.