Dianne Adams died a few months ago, on April 6. I always knew her as D, but I was in and out of her shop, D’s Alterations, on St. Elmo Avenue for almost 40 years. She stitched my dust ruffle at my husband’s bequest, replacing some fabric I’d tried to staple/Velcro together to give the general idea of a bed skirt. I do yoga in my bedroom, reclining beside my bed for my final pose, and I think of Dianne’s little shop, the one where her beloved little dog had its own spot. The dust ruffle was a big project, with yards and yards of fabric, and it’s still perfect after almost 25 years of making my bedroom look more finished.
My husband always bragged on D, saying he would just take his pants to her to hem (usually after I had already attempted this feat). He also took some of his late father’s pants to alter so that they would fit him, and chances are, D had probably adjusted him for Wig years before.
D had a calm, quiet presence about her. I never saw her flustered or panicked or overwhelmed with the wall jammed with hanging clothes waiting for her quick nimble fingers and keen eyes to adjust. She made a lifelong impact on so many folks in her life, folks from her church, Lookout Mountain Presbyterian, where she regularly volunteered at the Wednesday night dinners. Pastor Brian Salter posted on the Lookout Mountain Neighborhood Facebook page, “As one of her pastors, I will miss her terribly. What a servant and what a Savior that she worshipped and followed!”
She also affected folks in her community. In fact, when her daughter Carolyn Seneker shared news on the LM Neighborhood Facebook page that Dianne had passed, over 50 people stopped to comment, including Stephanie Chandler, who posted, “Diane will be so greatly missed ... she was truly a lovely lady, a great friend and hard working church family. I’m very sorry for [her] family's earthly loss!” Many more folks spoke of Dianne, including Susan Carson, Linda King, Marueen Frieson, Matt McLelland and Shannon Silberman, who all shared that she was a special, kind, helpful, sweet soul who will be greatly missed.
Mail carrier Karen Pugh posted, “She was such a sweet lady! When she saw the mail carriers pass by her house, she would wait for them to come back up the street. She would meet them with a granola bar or other treat, smile and tell them, ‘Thank you for your service.’ She also made sure ‘Vote Today’ signs were placed in her neighborhood to remind people of the importance of voting. She will be missed by many people.”
Martha Westbrook may have summed up the thoughts of many when she posted, “May she go in peace to joy. So many of us relied on her and are grateful for all the years she was an important part of our community.”
Rest in peace, Dianne.
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Ferris Robinson is the author of three children’s books, “The Queen Who Banished Bugs,” “The Queen Who Accidentally Banished Birds,” and “Call Me Arthropod” in her pollinator series. “Making Arrangements” is her first novel. “Dogs and Love - Stories of Fidelity” is a collection of true tales about man’s best friend. Her website is ferrisrobinson.com and you can download a free pollinator poster there. She is the editor of The Lookout Mountain Mirror and The Signal Mountain Mirror.