Rachel Adams

1926 – 2012

The San Juan Islands have lost one of their heroes.

On June 21, 2012, Rachel Adams, 86, passed away peacefully in her Orcas Island home.  A longtime resident of the islands, Rachel and her dear friend Marilyn Anderson lived for many years on Crane Island before moving to Orcas Island. Following a childhood in Maine and New Hampshire and a career in the U.S. Army, Rachel settled in the San Juans and quickly committed herself to conserving the beauty of her new island home. With steady hand and gentle humor, she served as both trustee and land counselor for the San Juan Preservation Trust for almost 20 years, shaping the organization as chair of the trustee nominating committee and member of both the Crow Valley and Turtleback Mountain campaign steering committees. In 1997 she also donated a permanent conservation easement to the Preservation Trust on land she owned near Olga (Orcas Island).

Rachel’s radiant smile, reassuring hugs and generous spirit have touched so many of us. As a friend and champion of the many community institutions we cherish, she has made a profound and lasting contribution to these islands, and her legacy at the San Juan Preservation Trust will stand in perpetuity.

Quoting Rachel on the Preservation Trust:

“Believing in the mission of the San Juan Preservation Trust, I have been impressed with all it has accomplished since its inception in 1979 and I want it to thrive into the future. As an organization it has been sensitive to the importance of preserving undeveloped land to protect the complex diversity of life within it, making the land per se a cherished part of our community.” Rachel, Orcas Island

from the Summer 2012 Newsletter