Richard E. Adamo of Nahant died on Sunday, December 29, 2013 at the Kaplan Family Hospice House of Danvers with his devoted wife Jeanne at his side. He was sixty-seven years old.
Born and raised in Lynn, he graduated from Classical High School in 1964. He attended Boston University on a full academic scholarship and graduated magna cum laude in 1968 earning a B.A. in English Literature and then earned his Masters in Library Science (MLS) with honors from Simmons University.
Richard worked as the Head Librarian at the Essex County Law Library in Salem, Massachusetts for over 30 years, where he earned the utmost respect from the bench, bar, and public. He won several awards over the years including the Massachusetts Lawyer’s Weekly “Unsung Hero” award and the Essex County Bar Association President’s award.
This past October, the Lynn Bar Association honored him by creating the Richard E. Adamo Service Award. It is an honor that will be awarded each year to an individual who exemplifies the high level of service demonstrated by Richard throughout his life.
Richard was named as the first recipient and a plaque with his name and all future recipients’ names will hang in the Lynn District Court.
This past November, in recognition of his over thirty years of unparalleled service as Head Law Librarian, the Essex County Bar Association honored Richard by commissioning a portrait that will hang in the Essex County Law Library in Salem, Massachusetts. The portrait was unveiled at a ceremony on November 20th where over 100 colleagues, friends, and family gathered to honor his legacy of work and service.
Richard helped anyone, anywhere. He never ceased to look for people in need and to do whatever it took to meet that need. He served as the chairman of the Nahant Historical Commission for many years, was an active member of the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, and for over 15 years was a leader in the St. Thomas Aquinas chapter of St. Vincent De Paul, a church group dedicated to helping those in need in whatever capacity necessary.
Richard served as president of the group for many years, and under his leadership the group’s charitable works spread as far as Haiti, where the group sponsored the building of a drinking well, and as close as the greater Nahant community, where the group has helped countless individuals facing hard times. Richard’s legacy of charitable work will be carried forward through the Jeanne C. and Richard E. Adamo Foundation, a charitable organization founded by his daughters and their families.
Richard is survived by the love of his life, his wife Jeanne (Piasecki) Adamo. The couple has been together since they were 16 years old, and recently celebrated the 51st anniversary of their first date at the Fall Frolic at Classical High School. This past June they celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary.
He is also survived by daughter Jennifer (Adamo) Grenier and her family, husband Matthew Grenier and children Isabelle and Nate of Rowley, MA and daughter Elizabeth (Adamo) Usman and her family, husband Jeffrey Usman and son Emmett of Nashville, TN. His mother, Jennie Adamo of Lynn, mother-in-law Genevieve Piasecki of Nahant, his beloved extended family including his brother in law Charles Piasecki of Vergennes, VT, two sisters-in-law, Linda Piasecki of Vergennes, VT and Colleen Adamo of Lynn.
He is also survived by many cousins, nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews on the Adamo and Piasecki sides of the family. Two godchildren, Lincoln Collins of Nahant and William Pasquale of Salem. Many beloved friends that Richard considered family and his beloved dogs, Daisy and Chloe.
He was preceded in death by his father Vito Adamo Sr., his brother Vito Adamo, Jr., and his father-in-law Charles P. Piasecki.
Visiting hours will be held in St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 248 Nahant Rd., Nahant, MA of Friday, January 3rd from 4:00-7:00PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow on Saturday, January 4th in the church at 11:30AM. Relatives & friends respectfully invited. Interment in Greenlawn Cemetery, Nahant.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Jeanne C. and Richard E. Adamo Foundation. Checks may be made payable to Jennifer Grenier, President P.O. Box 160, Nahant, MA 01908.
To send the family a condolence please, visit www.everettfuneral.com