Born in Cowley, Alberta, Canada, Adella was the youngest of 10 children. Family and the concept of "home" had always been extremely important to Adella and she would carry this with her throughout her life.

Adella met her husband Jim at a rock-n-roll dance in her late teens and they were married several years later. Adella was a lifelong elementary school teacher in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada, where she and Jim raised two daughters, Diana and Michelle. Adella adored children and was passionate about her teaching. She was a founding member of the Malaspina College Community Choir and instilled her great love for music in both her family and the community.

Her daughter Michelle remembers her mother's unique impact on people, "There was a common thread with people and my mom. She always made people feel welcome and she took a keen interest in their lives. It didn't matter if you had only just met her or if you had known her for many years. The impact was similar. Her nurturing nature touched people in a very special way."

In the early 1980s, Adella augmented her two-year teaching degree she had earned years earlier with a Bachelors degree in teaching from the University of Victoria. At the age of 50, she decided to further her education and spent two summers at San Diego University, where she earned her Masters Degree in Library Education.

In 1996, at the age of 54, Adella was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. She underwent a bone marrow transplant from her sister Irene, which allowed her an extended remission from the disease. She was incredibly thankful to have additional time with her beloved family before experiencing a relapse in 2000.

Adella drew on her strong faith, her love for her family, and the unwavering belief that her treatment would allow her to return home enriched and with brighter hopes for the future. A procedure called Donor Leukocyte Infusion (or as she called it, "a sort of top-up of her sister Irene's good cells) was conducted and her disease went back into remission for a second time.

Adella felt extremely fortunate for the exemplary treatments she received, but wholeheartedly believed that progress in multiple myeloma would only be made with an increased commitment to research, treatment, and care. She became very involved in ambitious fundraising and awareness-building events. With the help of her daughters, Adella hosted four successful charity events showcasing Diana's talents as a famed jazz musician

During one of Adella's speeches she said, "We can't always prevent things that happen to us, but we can choose our response." which was a partial quote from a sports figure whose name she could not recall. Adella chose to respond to her plight of having multiple myeloma by telling her story in hopes that others might also be inspired to do something to help people living with this incurable disease.

Adella was known for her extraordinary optimism and her heartfelt kindness and concern for others. Adella's daughter Michelle recalled her unique way of celebrating life, "My mom celebrated the people in her life ­ her husband, her daughters, her extended family, her friends and if one of us had even the smallest bit of good news, we would tell her about it. Whether it was one of Diana's performances or just a small good thing that happened in one of our lives on a particular day, she had a way of making you feel more excited about it because she got so excited for you.

Says her daughter, Diana, "When you live the way my mom did, you get so much back. She taught me that when you give to others and are generous with your spirit, you get joy in return."

Adella embraced her journey with multiple myeloma with the same grace and spirit that she did all things in her life.

In the spring of 2002, Adella died of multiple myeloma.