Adria Joy Edwards

Adria Joy Edwards, 45, of Kansas City, Missouri, died peacefully on June 24, 2023, with her wife and partner of 11 years, Mary, by her side. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 6, 1978, Adria was the loyal sidekick to older brother, Darrin, until his sudden death in 2006. Their bond continued long after his passing through her close relationship with Darrin’s daughter, Lola, and Lola’s sister, Gia. Being Aunt Adria was one of her most treasured roles and she especially appreciated the girls keeping her current on the ever-evolving slang of today’s youth. After graduating in 1996 from Parkway South High School in St. Louis, she attended Rockhurst University in Kansas City, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She continued her education at Park University in Parkville, Missouri, where she graduated with distinction, obtaining a Master of Public Administration in Non-Profit/Organizational Management and receiving the Larry Guilliot Nonprofit Student of the Year award. This was only the beginning of the incredible accomplishments Adria achieved throughout her short lifetime. With a professional career dedicated to serving others (both human and animal), she gave her all to a diverse group of worthy organizations, leaving her mark on everyone she encountered. She spent three years in Norfolk, Virginia, where she helped lead a community project aimed to alleviate the suffering of all animals, with a particular focus on helping dogs that were isolated and chained outdoors in dangerous conditions and without adequate shelter. The field team’s work vastly improved the lives of neglected and abandoned animals in the region. Upon her return to Missouri, she worked as a health services manager at Planned Parenthood, providing reproductive health care, sex education, and additional services to the greater Kansas City area for more than seven years. Next, Adria spent five years at Operation Breakthrough, a local organization dedicated to providing a safe, loving, and educational environment for all children. During her time there, she established free dental care, ensured children received routine healthcare, and fostered trusting relationships with students and their families. She was a fierce advocate for addressing the health disparities of the community and always led with compassion, competence, and love. Her professional career concluded at KC CARE Health Center, where she spearheaded the Get Tested KC campaign, driving awareness, accessibility, and action for HIV testing aimed to greatly reduce transmission of the disease. In 2021, when the COVID-19 vaccine was made available, she helped KC CARE launch some of the earliest free vaccination clinics in the area, focusing her efforts on mitigating the impact of the pandemic and creating a safer, healthier community. Though her work was challenging and often emotionally taxing, she never hardened. She remained fun-loving and a joy to be around—often found supporting local establishments, enjoying a delicious beer with Mary and their “chosen family” of close friends. For those lucky enough to be nearby, they would be gifted with the most beautiful voice and laugh they’d ever heard—a sound we will surely miss most of all. As a devoted vegetarian, Adria boasted her love of all things veg with a series of tattoos displaying her favorite produce. Thanks to her vegetarianism and love of purple, she may have been the only lesbian on Earth with an eggplant tattoo. Adria also loved to travel, listen to live music, wear the coolest eyeglasses, and watch TV. As an avid Top Chef fan, she was delighted to receive a Cameo by her favorite contestant, season 12’s Melissa King, on her 45th birthday, and rewatched the personalized video message at least 100 times. But while her crush on Melissa was strong, it couldn’t compare to her love for Mary. The two met through mutual friends and after nearly 11 years together, married on Dec. 20, 2022, in a private ceremony at their home, with their beloved dogs, Nora and Charley, by their side. Adria is survived by her wife, Mary Bellcock; mother-in-law Connie Bellcock and father-in-law Bernie Bellcock; brother-in-law Matt Bellcock; sister-in-law Megan Wilshusen, brother-in-law Todd Wilshusen, nephew Troy, and niece Mia; sister-in-law Jaclyn Rivituso DiMartino, brother-in-law John DiMartino, and nieces Sophia, Lola, and Giovanna; and countless members of her chosen family. There is no easy way to say goodbye. But we will keep our eyes open for signs of her—in the purple bloom of an African violet, the hazy hello of a rainbow, or the slobbery kiss of an overzealous pup—and patiently wait for that welcomed haunting she promised. Rest easy, loves. We’ll take it from here. A celebration of life will be held Saturday, Sept. 30 in the Reclamation Room at Cinder Block Brewery (110 E. 18th Ave, North KC) from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Adria’s honor to some of her favorite local organizations: Lucky 13 Rescue KC CARE Health Center Kansas City Pig Rescue Network Adria’s loved ones would also like to send a heartfelt thank you to the care team at KC Hospice House—especially Nurse Toni—for providing Adria with a comfortable, peaceful place to rest.

Adria Joy Edwards

April 6, 1978 - June 24, 2023