Adele Joanne Welty McCready March 18, 1939 - May 18, 2012

Adele Joanne Welty McCready went to be with her Lord and Savior on May 18, 2012. Adele was born on March 18, 1939, in Salem, to Homer and Leona (Leisy) Welty and lived in Portland and Salem through her high school graduation.

She moved to Santa Barbara, California for college, where she met and married the love of her life, James McCready on June 23, 1961. They have two daughters, one son, 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

An accomplished pianist, Adele's music enriched countless lives in many churches and communities. The highlight of her musical career was her recent travels to Europe with the choir from the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration of Sisters.

A lifelong educator, Adele began her teaching career in Santa Barbara Unified School District. After seven years in Ecuador as a missionary with HCJB radio, she returned to California, where she joined the Azusa Unified School District in fall, 1974. She served in various capacities and retired in June, 1999 as principal of Longfellow Elementary School.

After retirement she moved to Sisters, where she was a gifted teacher and leader at Sisters Community Church. She also enjoyed quilting, scrapbooking, and travel in addition to her musical pursuits and spending time with her family.

Adele is survived by loving husband, James McCready; their three children and their families, Joan and Tim Warburg, Christina, Stephen, Paul, Mary and Kalett of Moreno Valley, CA; David and Trisha McCready and Caleb of Salem; and Heather and Markus Kemmelmeier, Aaron, Austin, Christoph, Lena and Liesel of Reno, NV; and her siblings and their spouses, Ann and Vern Heinrichs of Salem; Cleone and Chet Davis of Sisters; Marilyn and Dale Phillips of Sacramento, CA; and Ron and Shirlee Welty of Depot Bay.

A celebration of Adele's life will be held on Friday, May 25, at 2 p.m., at Sisters Community Church, 1300 W. McKenzie Hwy. Saturday, May 26, a private interment will be followed by an informal reception at Emmanuel Bible Church in Pratum at noon. All those who loved Adele are invited. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Camp Attitude Oregon, P.O. Box 207, Foster, OR 97345.