June 01, 1945 - February 02, 2015
Adrian Sinclair Balch passed away Monday, February 2, 2015 after a long struggle with brain cancer. She is survived by her loving husband of 35 years, Raymond; their son, Senior Chief Petty Officer Christopher Bartlett, daughter-in-law, Amanda; granddaughter, Elizabeth Nicole and grandson, Saxon Avery of Crestview, FL. Adrian is also survived by her sister, Margaret and husband Philip Laney of Riverside, CA.; brother, William Sinclair of Torrence, CA; nephew, Bill Carter of Oswego, New York; and her six cats. She was preceded in death by her nephew, Matthew Carter of Phoenix, AZ.
Adrian, the daughter of William Stanley and Mary Kate Sinclair, was born on June 1, 1945 at Fort Benning, Georgia where her father was stationed at the close of World War II. The family returned to Houston when she was 6 months old. She attended River Oaks elementary, Lanier Junior High and graduated from Lamar High School class of 1963. She and Raymond both attended Lanier where she was in 5th period orchestra and he 6th period band. It is most likely that they passed each other every school day going in and out of the band hall without ever knowing each other (they would meet on a blind date on super bowl Sunday 1979).
Adrian attended Trinity University in San Antonio where she majored in music. After leaving Trinity her first job was as a secretary for Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. She later worked at Texaco before taking a position as secretary to Dr. Lauro Halstead at The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research. When Dr. Halstead left for Washington, D.C. he asker her to go with him but she declined choosing to stay in Houston near her family. She eventually moved to Baylor College of Medicine where she was executive secretary to Dr. Gail Demmler in infectious disease-a position she held until her retirement in 2003.
After a short "retirement", she took a part time position in the Advancement Office of Episcopal High School which she held until health issues forced her to retire again in 2013. This last position allowed her the opportunity to work with her husband who teaches Government and History at Episcopal High School.
Adrian loved music-especially Renaissance and Baroque music. Adrian also loved to sing. She was an alto in the St. James Episcopal Choir. She and her husband were also members of a choral group-Chorus Angelorum-for almost ten years. Besides performing an evensong service each month first at St. Thomas Episcopal and later Our Lady Of Walsingham Catholic Church, the choral group also traveled to England to be the choir in residence for a week at various cathedrals. The first such residency that Adrian and Ray participated in was at the Cathedral in Lincoln. In 2006 it was the Cathedral in Durham. The third and last trip in which Adrian and Ray were involved was at the Cathedral in Canterbury, England.
While in England on the last two trips, Adrian and Ray were able to visit Scotland traveling to the northern city of Wick to visit the Sinclair castle. (Wick is a six hour train ride from Inverness and there are only two trains in and out each day. It is small and remote but quiet beautiful.)
It was one of the most depressing moments of her life when after the surgery to remove the brain tumor in 2009, her vocal chords were damaged and she was unable to continue singing. (I am sure that she has joined that heavenly choir and is singing her heart out.)
Adrian also loved animals as evidenced by the fact that at one time, she and Ray had eight cats and a beagle (In fact, when she met Ray, she told him that for the relationship to go anywhere he would have to get her cat Sybil's approval) Five of the eight cats were strays that she and Ray took in.
She was also accomplished at needlepoint as well as knitting. For many years she knit beautiful items for family and friends. Two of her husband's most prized possessions are two needlepoint creations that adorn the walls of their home.
Adrian was also very interested in genealogy. She spent endless hours doing her genealogical research with the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research almost becoming her home away from home. One of her first successes was helping Ray to reconnect with a 92 year old aunt that he had last seen when he was 9 years old.
Adrian also shared her fascination with genealogy with others on line and developed friendships across the nation with like-minded individuals from Hood, Oregon to Boston, Mass. A few years ago, she was able to meet one of her on-line friends, Karen Rich, when she and Ray visited Boston. Adrian was also ready, willing and able to help other genealogists in their searches. She and Ray spent many weekends visiting cemeteries in and around the greater Houston area searching for the answers to the many questions posed to her by other like-minded individuals.
Adrian was a loving, compassionate woman. One of her employers described her as "smart, witty and real". With Adrian, you always knew where you stood. She had a wonderfully dry sense of humor. She was someone with whom you felt comfortable almost immediately after meeting her.
I often told her that besides being born, she was the best thing that had ever happened to me. In the words of the Bette Midler song, she was very much "the wind beneath my wings".
Funeral Information
Visitation will be held Monday, February 9, 2015 in the Miller Funeral Chapel, 7723 Beechnut, Houston, TX 77074 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at St. James Episcopal Church, 3129 Southmore Blvd., Houston, TX 77004. Following cremation, interment will take place Wednesday 4:00 p.m. at Glenwood Cemetery, 2525 Washington Avenue, Houston, TX.Donations Information
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in her memory to the American Cancer Society, The American Brain Tumor Association or the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research.
(posted on Miller Funeral and Cremation Services website, Houston, TX)
