The sudden death of Douglas Lee Adams of Accord and Manhattan, who was killed October 5 in Central Park, followed just weeks after the unexpected death of his partner, Marjorie Shelley of Stone Ridge and Manhattan, has left friends and neighbors mourning two remarkable lives.

Marjorie, who was a longtime conservator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, died unexpectedly on August 24. Her memorial service was held on October 8. Doug would have been there, but he was killed on the morning of Monday, October 5, while riding his bicycle in Central Park.

He was pedaling along East Drive, near the Metropolitan Museum of Art, when an unleashed golden retriever jumped in front of him. He braked to avoid hitting the dog, fell onto the pavement, and died of a broken neck.

Douglas Adams had turned 71 the day before, on October 4.

The accident received widespread coverage on television and in the New York City press, as it was the kind of nightmare scenario that New Yorkers fear. Dogs are never permitted off-leash on the park drives.

The woman who owned the dog remained at the scene. So far, no charges have been filed. An investigation is underway by the NYPD Highway Investigation Squad.

Doug was well-known and much loved in our area. He lived on Cherry Hill Road for three decades and served on numerous commissions in Marbletown. A financial consultant by profession, he maintained an office for his company, Charybdis, in High Falls. He served on the Marbletown Town Board for eight years and famously ran for town supervisor in 2019, losing to Richard Parete by just 48 votes.

Doug and Marjorie were both widowed within weeks of one another in 2019 and soon found comfort in their new relationship, despite a 10-year age difference. Doug spent much of his time in Marjorie’s apartment at 205 West 89th Street in Manhattan, but both maintained homes in our area: Doug on Cherry Hill Road and Marjorie at Winfield Corners.

Doug served on the Marbletown Historic Preservation Commission and the Environmental Commission, and was treasurer of the Marbletown Democratic Committee. He was born on October 4, 1955, in Pennsylvania, one of four children of Richard Adams, a Methodist minister, and his wife, Irene, a schoolteacher.

He is survived by his sisters, Carol Anne, of the Rochester area in upstate New York, and Cheryl, of Peoria, Arizona, and his brother, Richard, of Herndon, Virginia. He was predeceased by his wife, Charlotte Sibley.

An engaging, sweet-natured man, Doug was known for his smile and his commitment to environmental and civic causes. Details of a memorial service for Douglas Adams will be announced.

Marjorie Shelley, 81, was the widow of Edward Shelley, M.D., and had a highly acclaimed career as an art conservator. She served as a paper conservator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art beginning in 1974. She retired only weeks before her unexpected death from cancer.

Marjorie and Doug shared a love of history, music, and art. During their five-year relationship, they were avid concertgoers and frequent visitors to art galleries. The couple had made a life together and planned to spend their future upstate while continuing their vacation travels.

“He was a kind, generous man; I moved to New York to be closer to him,” recalled his youngest sister, Carol Anne. “It’s strange how he died, trying to avoid hitting a golden retriever. Our family dog is a golden retriever, my 10-year-old Holli. Doug loved her, of course. I’m sure she flashed before his eyes at that final instant.”

“It was wonderful that they found each other as soulmates; they shared so much – their love of music, art, and travel,” said Susan Sprachman, a close friend and neighbor.

Doug and Marjorie made the most of their five years together. Perhaps they were somehow meant to leave this life together, as mysteriously as they had been brought together after losing their spouses within weeks of one another.