WESTERLO — Adam C. Marrone died “suddenly and too soon” on Friday, April 12, 2024, his family wrote in a tribute, adding that he was “59 years young.”

Born on June 21, 1964 in Catskill, New York, he was the son of the late Andrew and Anita (née Reno) Marrone Sr.

“In writing this tribute about Adam,” it said, “I wanted to do it the same way Adam did everything — he’d take his time, give it his best, and get it right.

“He would have loved today — the sun is shining in a blue sky with just a few wispy clouds, the trees are blooming and birds are chirping and the waterfall behind the house is running. Adam would have loved it if it was raining, too, or snowing, or blazing hot. He enjoyed every day, every minute. He lived in the moment and appreciated every second of every day.

“Adam attended Greenville High School where he excelled at soccer, music (clarinet and saxophone), track, and making the girls giggle when he sauntered in and flirted with them when he was late to class!

“Even though Adam would rather shovel snow than go to school (yup, he got in big trouble from our mom that day!), he was a lifelong learner. He enjoyed reading and learning on his own terms about subjects that spoke to him. He developed an interest in photography, trivia, learning about the world and politics, and figuring out how to fix everything that was broken.

“After graduating, Adam joined his dad in the family business and worked tirelessly at the M&M Bakery for 41 years. If you want to bake bread, you need to choose the right ingredients, have patience and develop your skill.

“Adam was a true artisan and excelled at all of those things. He learned by his father’s side, gained experience year after year, and took pride in every loaf of bread and pound of dough that he made and delivered.

“When some people make deliveries, they drop it off and go. When Adam delivered his product, he talked, he joked, he laughed — and he became friends with pretty much every person on his bread route.

“Many people have friendships that come and go; if Adam made a friend, he considered that person a friend for life. He always made time (no matter how late he was!) to stop and chat for a bit.

“Adam loved his home. He loved his family — his heart and soul was Tan Hollow Road. Whether it was prepping his ’84 Blazer to plow the upcoming snow, or spending time with family and being part of every birthday, graduation, dance recital, or holiday, he relished every bit.

“He’d usually be late, but being that he came with his sunny smile or brought along his extremely delicious banana bread to holiday dinners, everyone would let it slide!

“Speaking of sliding, Adam was an avid Yankees fan like his dad, Andrew Sr., and they spent countless hours listening to games while working side by side at the M&M Bakery. Annual trips to Yankee Stadium along with boating, waterskiing, snowmobiling, an occasional round of golf, and playing endless games of fetch with his dogs were some of the ways Adam enjoyed his time off over the years.

“He left the longest messages on answering machines and even though he enjoyed a good talk, he was absolutely the best listener. No matter if he was talking with a friend, customer, or his 3-year-old grand-niece, Adam gave his undivided attention to the conversation.

“He was a big fan of action movies, Bruce Springsteen (he had tickets!), and classic ’70s and ’80s rock — and it must have rubbed off, because Adam had a surprisingly smooth voice, which he saved for singing ‘Happy Birthday’ messages on answering machines.

“You may be surprised to know that he was also a fabulous poet! Birthday cards usually contained his thoughtful and funny verses, or sometimes more touching and heartfelt ones. Either way, he took the time to make it special and just for you.

“So, to sum it up — and these were words shared recently by those who knew him — ‘Adam was awesome,’ ‘such a great guy,’ ‘so hardworking,’ and ‘always in a good mood!’ But let the record show he was hands down the most stubborn person ever! If he had a theme song, it would have been ‘My Way’ by Frank Sinatra!

“He lived his life how he wanted. He had ongoing to-do lists and handwritten notes, and even when life threw him a curveball, he’d just step to the side and keep moving forward.

“Adam was a salt-of-the-earth kind of guy — look it up; it’s him.

“People are always advising others to slow down, stop and smell the roses or coffee, and appreciate the little things. Adam excelled at that.

“He lived in the moment, enjoyed the blue sky, listening to the sound of the waterfalls running into the creek next to his house, stacking wood just right, and talking to his several German shepherds over the years that were lucky enough to be his companions.

“This is the only appointment he was early to — if you knew Adam, you know what I mean! The Good Lord must have needed a bread delivery because God knows that’s the only thing that would have made Adam show up early!

“Adam leaves behind family and many friends who will cherish his memory and miss him every single day. His brother and sister-in-law, Andy Marrone Jr. and Lana, whom he not only enjoyed a solar eclipse with but also countless dinners and movie nights and other adventures.

“His sister, April Zhang, (and her husband, Wei) whom he drove nuts with his lengthy conversations, but that’s what she will miss the most; his nieces and nephew, Brittany Quinn and her husband, Conor, Cenzia Zhang and Jordan Marrone and his wife, Kayla; and his grand-nieces and nephew, Sloane, Gabriella and Ciarán, whom he spoke of on his last super-long answering machine message — Adam adored you all.

“If you would like to honor Adam’s memory, enjoy some fresh Italian bread, or kindly support your local or family-owned business.”

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A Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, May 15, at 6 p.m. at the South Westerlo Congregational Christian Church at 282 County Route 405.