Roots in Flint and the Rhode Island School of Design
On Wednesday, October 21, 2026, just eight days after her 79th birthday, Leslie Jo Adams Burnham passed away. Born in Flint, Michigan, on October 13, 1947, to Burnell “Bernie” and Bette Adams, she built a life centered around tactile arts, family traditions, and education.
Her path in the arts began at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics in 1969. That same year, she married Charles D. Burnham, and the two welcomed their son, Chad. The family relocated from California to Montpelier, Vermont, in 1973 before eventually settling in Stowe.
Building a Creative Life and Career in Vermont
In Vermont, her creative background shaped both her career and community life. She taught art to children, worked as a professional florist, and eventually opened The Village Florist of Stowe.
She later extended her career within the local floral industry by working with Green Mountain Floral Supply, combining her formal training in ceramics with commercial floral design.
A Move to Denver and Seventeen Years Close to Family
After decades in New England, she retired in 2008 and moved to Denver, Colorado. The relocation served a specific, cherished purpose: to live near her granddaughter, Molly C. Burnham.
For the next seventeen years, she became a daily fixture in Molly’s life, volunteering in classrooms, helping manage school routines, and introducing students to ceramics, floral arrangement, and handmade crafts.
Baking Homemade Christmas Cinnamon Rolls for Family
Beyond her classroom volunteering, her domestic life was defined by distinct culinary traditions. She was widely known for her homemade Christmas cinnamon rolls, a recipe she shared through dedicated baking parties with family and friends. These traditions extended to Christmas mornings, where she gathered loved ones around a decorated table.
Surviving Family Members Include Son Chad and Brother Scott
Her survivors include her son, Chad D. Burnham, who is married to Jennifer Barton; her brother, Scott H. Adams, and his wife, Suzi Wertz; and her granddaughter, Molly.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bernie and Bette, as well as her sister, Courtney Rae Adams, with whom she frequently traveled on international cruises.
