Memorial Mass for Adam John Sobotka

Adam John Sobotka

March 22, 1943 - April 30, 2020

Adam John Sobotka, age 77, of Plano, Texas, passed away on Thursday, April 30, 2020.  He was born on March 22, 1943, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Evelyn Camille (Dubiel) and Phillip Stanley Sobotka.  Adam attended Calvert Hall High School and then went on to obtain his Bachelor’s Degree in chemistry from Loyola University Maryland. He began his career working for the Food and Drug Administration in 1964.  A few years later, he transferred to the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, and then later joined the DEA working as a forensic chemist for the federal government. At the end of his career with the DEA he worked as a supervisory chemist in the Dallas lab of the South Central Regional Laboratory. He loved working for the DEA, and it was a perfect career for him.  After 34 years, Adam retired from the DEA in 1998.  During retirement, he and Mary Jean enjoyed traveling and taking cruises with friends, square dancing, and spending time with family.  Adam was also the neighborhood crime watch coordinator for many years.

Adam met the love of his life, Mary Jean, in high school and they were married on June 20, 1964. They were blessed with three beautiful children, Karen, Wendy and Jeffrey.  Together they built a house in Reisterstown, Maryland, and lived there for 6 years before transferring to Plano, Texas in 1973.  Adam spent the remainder of his life living in Plano with Mary Jean raising his family. One of the most difficult times in Adam and Mary Jean’s life occurred in 2012 when they lost their daughter, Karen, to brain cancer at the young age of 43.

Adam was greatly loved and will be dearly missed by all those who knew and loved him. Adam is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Jean; his daughter, Wendy Jean Burrer and her husband, Paul; his son, Jeffrey Michael Sobotka; his precious grandchildren, Laurel Burrer, Gabriela Paruolo, Anthony Paruolo, Jacquelyn Burrer, Dominic Paruolo, and Noah Sobotka; his brother-in-law, Lou Waidner; and his niece, Lisa Waidner and her husband, Tony Vega. Adam was preceded in death by his daughter, Karen Paruolo; parents, Evelyn and Phillip Sobotka; and his sister, Phyllis Waidner.

Memorial Mass for Adam will be on Saturday, March 20th at 11:00 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2700 W. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TX, 75023.  For those who are not able to attend, the Memorial Mass will be live streamed at the following link https://youtu.be/90_xqRmic0Y

In lieu of flowers, donations in Adam’s honor, can be made to Lewy Body Dementia Association.