Hilary Adams Pridgen passed peacefully in her home in Hanover, NH in the loving company of her five children on Monday, June 9, 2025. She was 78.

Hilary was born in New York City on January 23, 1947, to Hamilton Adams of County Tyrone, Ireland and Charlotte Brown Adams of Long Island, New York. She earned her MBA from the Wharton School of Business and graduated at the top of her class. While at a Wharton choir rehearsal Hilary met her future husband, Eccles Pridgen. They built successful careers and lived in California and New York before settling in New Hampshire to raise 5 children. They separated after 27 years of marriage.

Hilary co-founded The Wooden Spoon, a specialty cookware mail-order company in New York, and ran it for over a decade with her business partner, Bob Sloat, until it was acquired by Pepperidge Farm in 1989. After moving to Hanover, NH, she opened The Trumbull House Bed & Breakfast, weaving together parenting and career so that she could make it to every recital and game while still supporting her family.

Hilary's house always had homemade meals and fresh-made pastries on the counter, and she delighted in hosting a bustling annual caroling party for friends and community. The Trumbull House was full of life and delicious food, and you would frequently find a dozen kids of various ages laughing in the family room. Hilary loved attending concerts and plays at Dartmouth and the Hanover schools and playing tennis with friends. She was often involved in local school and rural development planning efforts, modeling civic engagement and community care.

Summers were Hilary's favorite time of year, as she hired innsitters and brought her children to her family's childhood home on the beach in Laurel, NY, in a loving community of lifelong friends. These summers embodied Hilary's inherent knack for seeing the big picture and not sweating the small stuff. A beach girl at heart, her quiet confidence and steady approach towards life mirrored the gentle lapping waves of the bay on the beach that she enjoyed listening to so much.

In 2011, Hilary was diagnosed with brain cancer and with treatment she survived her prognosis by over a decade – a true testament to her strength of body and mind. The lingering effects of radiation deteriorated her mobility, speech, and overall health, and Hilary adapted with grace and grit. Her loved ones were continually moved by her ability to choose patience, humor, and positivity while navigating the realities of life with steadily decreasing capabilities.

Hilary is survived by her children – Hamilton (Boston, MA), Meredith & her husband Nils (Hanover, NH), Victoria (Austin, TX), Jamison & his wife Katie (Malden, MA), and Margaret & her partner Sam (White River Junction, VT); her sister Lynn and brother-in-law Simon (Lyme, NH); niece Rowan (Hanover, NH); and her much loved grandchildren Anton, Nathan, Tessa, and Georgia. She is also survived by her cherished companions Lloyd & Veneda, her loyal dog Doodle (fondly referred to as her 6th child) and a wide circle of friends and extended family. Hilary's legacy of grace and positivity lives on in the lives she shaped and the love she shared.

A memorial gathering open to the community will be held at Knight Funeral Home in White River Junction on Wednesday, June 18th, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Her family would welcome any remembrances via notes in Hilary's guest book.  In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to National Public Radio in Hilary's honor: www.npr.org/donations/support .