PORTLAND – Gladys M. (Shiro) Adelson, 100, passed away peacefully on June 6, 2022.

Gladys was born in Newton, Mass. on Dec. 20, 1921, to Louis and Celia (Wasser) Shiro. At a very young age her family moved to Waterville where she was raised along with her three brothers and two sisters. She graduated from Waterville High School and attended Thomas Business College.

As a young woman she worked at the family restaurant which eventually became the well-known Jefferson Hotel on College Avenue in Waterville. After WWII she moved to Boston to live and work. There she met the love of her life, Sidney Adelson, through family friends. They married on April 1, 1947, and were together for 69 years until his death in 2014, at the age of 100.

In 1950, Gladys and Sidney moved to Swampscott, Mass., where they lived for 63 years, and raised a family. Their home on Hampshire Street became a joyful gathering place for family and friends. After downsizing, their condo at Crown Point continued to be focus of the family. When her children were older, she worked in retail for several years. She was a committed volunteer with the local chapters of Hadassah and B’nai B’rith.

Gladys loved hosting events with family and friends. Cards and games were always underway. She was an excellent weekly bridge player and also enjoyed canasta, mahjong, gin rummy and even penny poker with the men. They spent many years enjoying their winters in Lake Worth, Fla. In their 90s they moved to Portland to be closer to their sons.

Gladys and Sidney loved to travel with friends, vacations in the Catskills were a favorite, as well as many memorable trips to Europe, Asia, Central America. Weekends were often spent antiquing throughout New England. Summers were happily spent at the family camp in Sydney on Snow Pond.

Family was always her priority and joy. She cherished her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was loving, generous, compassionate and love to laugh. She always thought of others before herself, right up until the end.

Gladys was predeceased by her parents; husband, Sidney; her daughter, Barbara Bahamonde and son-in-law, George Bahamonde; as well as all her brothers and sisters, and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

She is survived by her son, David and his wife Lydia of Readfield, and son, Mark and his wife Maggie of Portland; grandchildren Dr. Matthew Bahamonde and his wife Dr. Lourdes Gonzalez Bahamonde of Monrovia, Calif., Zack Adelson and his partner Kelly Ann Lum of Brooklyn, N.Y., Alex Adelson of Portland, Barbara Adelson of Portland, Sam Adelson of Readfield; great-grandchildren Lucas and Lake; as well as many nieces and nephews and their families across the country. Gladys’ love and values of generosity and compassion live on in all of us.

The family would like to thank the staffs at Birchwoods On Canco and Northern Light Hospice for the compassionate end of life care she received.

A graveside service will be held at Temple Beth El Memorial Park, 1 Johnson Road in Portland on Friday June 10, at 12 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the United Way of Southern Maine and Shalom House Inc. of Portland.

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