Lemley Chapel
Serving Sedro-Woolley &
All of Skagit County Since 1935
1008 Third Street
Sedro-Woolley, WA
360-855-1288
www.LemleyChapel.com
Rebecca ‘Becky’ Adams Memorial
Rebecca ‘Becky’ Adams Memorial

Rebecca ‘Becky’ Adams

Rebecca ‘Becky’ Adams

Sunday, January 3rd, 2021

Rebecca Christine Adams

June 24, 1966 – January 3, 2021

Rebecca (Becky) Christine Adams—many of those who she touched within our community knew her as Mrs. Adams or Nurse Becky from her time as a nurse and teacher at Central Elementary School—passed away peacefully in the early hours of January 3, 2021, following an almost decade long battle with breast cancer.  Becky was born in Sedro-Woolley, Washington to William and Betty Stiles, being raised alongside her five older brothers.  Becky graduated from Sedro-Woolley High School in 1984, before going on to receive her Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Skagit Valley College, Bachelors degree in Nursing from Seattle University, and Master’s in Special Education from Grand Canyon University.  She married her high school sweetheart Greg on June 9th of 1990 and began a family, raising two sons and one daughter.

Becky started her nursing career on the Medical/Oncology/Pediatric floor at Skagit Valley Hospital. After a year she began working for Dr. Gross and Dr. Luther at their clinic in Sedro-Woolley until she became a school nurse at Central Elementary School. Becky went on to become the District Nurse for the Sedro-Woolley School District and oversaw all of the nurses in the school district, while still working as the full-time nurse at Central Elementary. In 2011 she earned her Master’s Degree in Special Education from Grand Canyon University and was hired as a Leave Replacement in 2012/2013. She was hired as Central Elementary School’s main Special Education Teacher in the fall of 2013. In 2017 she earned her National Board Certification as an Exceptional Needs Specialist. Becky’s students meant the world to her. She worked tirelessly to make sure her students had the support they needed to thrive in school and in life.

Becky’s greatest love in life was her family.  She never missed her children’s school or sporting events and was always involved in her nieces’ and nephews’ lives.  After work one would find her sitting on the sidelines of a sports game cheering on her sons, daughter, nieces, nephews, or students and on the weekends she was traveling to sporting events all over the state with her kids. She always looked forward to a packed house on holidays and birthdays where she cooked and baked for all her family and friends. When she wasn’t supporting her kids in extracurricular activities, she was spending time outdoors with her family camping, hiking, fishing and making memories.

Becky was deeply involved in the community. She organized adopting families during Christmas to provide gifts, clothes, and food to those who needed them, participated in Relay for Life to raise money for cancer research, was a Road to Recovery driver (driving cancer patients to and from appointments), along with being an emergency foster parent. On top of this she led her church in making “blessing bags”, filled with food, water, socks, and toiletries to hand out to the homeless.

Her faith, family, and students were the most important aspects of her life. Becky battled breast cancer with fierceness and leaned on God, her family, her friends, her coworkers, and her students to keep her going. She knew every day was a gift from God and lived everyday to the fullest, showing kindness and compassion to all around her. Becky leaves behind a beautiful legacy of compassion, kindness, and love.

Becky is survived by her husband Greg, her son Zack and his wife Sadie, her daughter Jordyn and her husband Austin, her son Drew, and her grandchild Elias; brothers and sisters-n-laws, Billy and Kim, Bob and Jeanne, Brian and Vange, Bret and Sheri, and Brock and Katherine Stiles; father-in-Law Lee and mother-in-Law Willyne Adams, Sister-in-Law Leanne Hickman and husband Bob, sister-in-Law Tracey Adams; along with numerous nephews, nieces, and cousins.

Becky is preceded in death by her parents William A. Stiles Jr. and Betty Stiles, and sisters-in-law Donna Stiles and Ann Stiles.

The family asks in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to The Church of God at PO 1251 Lyman, WA 98263 or “Becky’s Memorial Fund” to support students year-round in need of clothes, food, school supplies, ect.

The family is planning a private Celebration of Life for a later date. Share your memories of Becky and sign the online guest register.

Guestbook

  • Robie Livingstone

    Becky was my college roommate at university of Washington in freshman year. She loved Garfield the cat, Sedro Woolley and her family. She was going to be a nurse and I knew she’d be a good one. I am so sorry to hear she passed, yet grateful her spirit and love is continuing with her children and grandchildren.

  • Teresa (DeeDee) Ashe Grover

    Greg and family, I am so very sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers during this tragic time and beyond. May God give you peace.

  • Ginny Barnum

    Becky was one of life’s Heroes. I was blessed to have worked with her at Central Elementary for over 20 years. As she was becoming certified to teach special ed, I was beginning planning for my retirement from teaching and I suggested she think about applying for my special education program. Unfortunately, due to a personal health crisis I was unable to stay in my position and Becky took over. In her quiet determination she worked miracles. Becky was my Hero as well as her students’, their parents and her peers. May God comfort her family and peers.

  • Kim Olander Mayer

    Becky,
    You are a true inspiration and one of the most generous, kind, courageous people I have ever known. Rest In Peace now, Becky.
    Mom says, “Til we meet again, Becky. Thank you for your incredible work & inspiration.

    Greg & family,
    Sincere condolences. Hang on tight to your best memories of Becky to get you through the times you miss her the most. Sending prayers for comfort, peace & strength to you all.

  • Laura Loween

    I taught with Becky at Central for about 3.5 years. She was an amazing colleague. Becky was a true light and she shined Jesus love to the staff and students. She was always available to lend a helping hand and a true joy to work with. Her courage and strength were unwavering. She fought for her students with the same persistence and fortitude as she did her cancer. Becky glorified God in her work and in her personal life. I so admired her servant heart. My prayers are with the family and all who knew her.

  • Melissa Hornbeck

    Becky was an amazing woman, she genuinely cared for her students. My son had the pleasure of working with her even if it was for a short time I felt her care and compassion for him as her student. As a mother having someone on your side and knowing your child will be supported in his learning, there are no words. When asked in a zoom meeting if my son had anything to share about Becky he replied “Mrs. Adams is the kindest, best teacher” if you know him that’s as good as it gets, that’s huge. So thank you Becky, thank you for working with and caring about my son. You were a treasure.

  • Jacki conrad

    What an inspirational woman! All these wonderful things will make sure her legacy lives on for many years to come. We send our love to her family for extra strength. This is an incredible loss for those Becky helped. May she Rest In Peace.
    With love, Jacki Conrad

  • Stacy Lagerwey

    Becky…you are so loved and missed. You were such an amazing support and friend and am honored to have worked with you since 2003. You not only helped me through my ‘stuff’, you were THE ONE AND ONLY person who fought for my boy with ASD to get him where he needed to be in the school system when he was in 2nd grade…you never gave up on me, or Tyler! After being his advocate, you got to watch him grow and flourish to be the amazing 15yr old 10th grader he is today!! I am also honored to have had all three of your children as students, they are beautiful adults now! I will miss everything about you, up to our last ‘catch up’ conversation we had in your room across the hall from me when I was so lucky to see you just last month! You BEAMED about being a Grandmother!! I wanted to apologize, again, for fuming you out of your room with my dang Scentsy burner! 🤦 I honestly wanted to check out my new scent! …Yes, the staff got another ‘reminder’ via email from the nurse having to remind us NOT to do that…you were such a good sport and we had a good laugh together. 😜 I haven’t turned it on since! Yesterday every time I left my office, I looked for you, as I will today. All I could find was your beautiful blue sweater where it usually was…on the back of your desk chair…It is so empty in the ‘basement’ without you. You will be brightening up the school in the days to come because we are having a Minion T-shirt day, week, year in your honor…. There will be TONS of smiling Bob’s, Kevin’s and Stuarts walking among the halls as we keep you in our memories and hearts!! You were always “ONE IN A MINION” my friend…❤❤❤

  • Chuck Finnigan

    It was a pleasure to have Nurse Becky as a colleague at Central the 20 years I taught there. She was a natural with the students, whether it was soothing on owie as nurse or supporting students in her classroom. Zach, Jordyn and Drew all came through my library and tech classes. I’d be down gossiping with the office staff, look over, and there would be Becky leaning against her door listening, ready to take me to task or add something to the conversation. As long as I kept her technology humming, she would always answer my medical questions. My thoughts are with her family.

  • Sharon/John Hendrickson

    In the past few months we watched Becky become a grandmother and saw her beautiful daughter marry her handsome military husband. The smiles on her face was priceless. She will be missed. Prayers to Greg and the rest of the family.

  • Don and Andrea Marlow

    Becky’s legacy will keep living through her family and her impact on others. Peace be with the entire Adam’s family.

  • Wayne and Chris Dowhaniuk

    Greg you are in my thoughts and prayers. Becky will be missed by everyone she touched.