Adrienne Aymard Ackerman (nee Desjardins), of Hallowell, died peacefully at her home on Oct. 19. Born in Rochester, Minn. on March 10, 1927, Adrie was the daughter of Arthur Ulderic Desjardins and Helen Beatrice Hardy, both of whom had family roots in Maine. Her father and mother met at the Mayo Clinic, where he had headed the radiology department; she, the occupational therapy department. They retired to Walpole in 1949.
Adrie was educated at Saint Margaret’s School in Waterbury, Conn. and at Radcliffe College. There she met her future husband, Edward Ackerman, a young professor of geography. Their five children were born between 1950 and 1961 as his career changes led them from Boston to Chicago, Knoxville, Tenn. and Washington, D.C., where Edward became Executive Director of the Carnegie Institution. In 1960, one child’s illness led them to the healthful mountain air of the Swiss Alps. Adrie quickly fell in love with life in a small alpine village. While Edward supported the change, he continued to pursue his career at the Carnegie, joining the family for vacations. With great courage, Adrie resolved to raise her five young children above the Rhone Valley with the help of Nannie (Leonore Kuhlmann). Originally hired by Adrie’s mother to look after her as a child, Nannie remained with her beloved Adrie and the children until her death in 1972.
In Europe, Adrie reconnected with a number of English friends who had attended Saint Margaret’s in wartime, among them Jessie Waterhouse and Topsy Woodwark. She also furthered a lifelong friendship with Elizabeth (“Bizzy”) Oates-Buschardt, and Stanley Spiegelberg.
In the first years in Switzerland, Adrie homeschooled her children before sending them to schools in England. She often said that being a mother was the most creative role she could imagine. In 1967 Adrie began to spend time in Surrey, England, where she began training for a career in the teaching of dyslexic children. Adrie taught for a number of years at the Arkell Center, Frensham, England, and later in Lausanne, Switzerland. Adrie authored a number of monographs on the subject, and became a lifelong advocate for dyslexics.
Returning to the states in 1986, Adrienne settled in Bristol, and later Yarmouth to care for her mother. She continued her career as a teacher in the mid-coast region until retiring at the age of 81.
Adrie cherished her father’s Franco-American roots. She spoke fluent French, and attended the Sorbonne for a semester in 1948. She was known for her sensitivity, gentleness, warmth, generosity, courage, love of literature and music, reserve, modesty, sense of the ridiculous, natural elegance, and her legendary charm. During the last decade of her life, Adrie’s spiritual journey became an exploration of Buddhist teachings.
Adrienne is survived by her brother, Paul Desjardins of West Hartford, Conn.; children, Helen Archer of Sebago (and husband Chuck), Francis Ackerman of Augusta (and wife Anne Marie Buschardt), Julia Ackerman of Whitefield, Justin Ackerman of Santa Monica, Cal., and Tippy Ackerman of London, England (and partner Mehmet Ali Dikerdem); and grandchildren, Damien Petty, August Popkin, Clair Popkin, Cecilia Ackerman, Anna Ackerman, Anouk Ackerman, Peter Ackerman and Aurelie Baroni-Ackerman.
Memorial service 3 p.m., Mon., Oct. 25 at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 69 Winthrop St., Augusta.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Adrie’s favorite charity, The International Campaign for Tibet, 1825 Jefferson Pl., NW, Washington, DC 20036 (www.savetibet.org).
