Cecilia Mary Adams

Cecilia M. Adams, 90, of Fishing Creek, Maryland passed away on Tuesday morning, July 2, 2024 at Autumn Lake at Chesapeake Woods in Cambridge.

Born in Bridgeville, Delaware on May 8, 1934, she was the daughter of the late Frank Tobat and Mary Madorkey Tobat. 

In 1950, Cecilia married Robert “Bobby” Edgar Willey and together they had 4 children.  They started their own seafood business, Willey’s Seafood and would haul crabs to the city 6 days a week. Bobby died at a young age, leaving Cecilia to raise 4 children as a single parent and she continued owning and operating the seafood business alone with the help of her sons. This life made her a determined woman to succeed and that’s just what she did.

On February 14, 1976, Cecilia married Lehman L. Adams and together continued with their seafood business. She made sure all of their clients were taken care of. Lehman became Pop to her children and grandchildren and loved them all like they were his own. Lehman passed away on January 30, 2016.

In her younger years, Cecilia was a very active member of the Hoopers Island Vol. Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary and enjoyed helping at the dinners and was a huge part in helping with the design of the new fire house. She was also inducted into the Hall of Fame and was very proud of this accomplishment. She was a life-time member of St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church, where she served on several committees.

She enjoyed arranging flowers, painting crafts, sewing, gardening, decorating and was very particular with everything she did. She loved her family gatherings, especially when they were on the boat “The Lucky Lady” and in her later years she loved watching the Baltimore Orioles. 

She was known to be a whirlwind on Christmas Eve. She would clean the entire house, decorate the house and Christmas tree, cook, wrap presents and stay up all night to prepare for Christmas Day where the entire family would all gather. She loved her family and will be dearly missed by them and all her friends.

Surviving Cecilia are her children Kevin Willey and his wife Debbie of Cambridge, Donny Willey of Fishing Creek and Dawn Townsend and her husband Troy of East New Market; grandchildren Rob Willey, Jr.(Nicole), Chris Willey, Carrie Rose (Lee), Cory Willey (Jessie), Jake Townsend (Amber), Josh Townsend (Cassidy); great grandchildren Hunter Rose, Marissa Willey, Julianna Willey and Levi Willey; daughter-in-law Joyce Willey; sister-in-law Connie Moxey; sister-in-law & brother-in-law Reida and Billy Foxwell; special friend Lorraine Phillips; several nieces and nephews.

Preceding in her death beside her parents and husbands was a son Robert Howard Willey, Sr.; sister Tillie Tobat Elliott; brothers Mike Tobat, Sr., Jimmy Tobat and Tom Tobat, Sr. and her beloved dog Buddy. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, July 8, 2024 at St Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church beginning 12:00 pm with Father Tim Kruthaupt officiating. A viewing will be held an hour prior to the service. Interment will follow the service in the adjoining church cemetery. 

Serving as pallbearers will be Rob Willey, Jr. Chris Willey, Cory Willey, Jake Townsend, Josh Townsend and Hunter Rose.

Honorary pallbearers will be Jimmy Simmons, Dave Nickerson, Frankie Tobat, Randy Cartright and Bill Cosgrove.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Cecilia’s name can be sent to St Mary Star of the Sea Foundation, c/o Mary Jo Bosley, P.O. Box 245, Fishing Creek, MD 21634 or Hoopers Island Volunteer Fire Company c/o Rosemary Dean, P.O. Box 125, Fishing Creek, MD 21634.