Obituary for Adam Chachkes
Adam Chachkes—beloved husband, father, son, brother, coach, and friend—passed away on July 14, 2023. Adam courageously fought a 13-month battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Adam is survived by his wife and best friend of 16 years, Lynn Chachkes, and two cherished sons, Aidan and Mason. He is also survived by his mother, Harriet Chachkes, and brothers Alex Chachkes and Joel Chachkes (Kara Hayes). He also leaves his nephews, Sam, George, and Jack Chachkes, and his niece, Anya Chachkes, as well as his aunt, Deborah McManus, and her children, Mage (Rick Schock, with children Fred and Emma) and Sophie (Jay Mones, with daughter Vivien). His father, Chaim Chachkes, and his uncle, Jason McManus, predeceased him.
Adam was born on June 5, 1971, and spent much of his adolescence in East Greenwich, RI, where his love of the ocean grew. He attended Tufts University, where he graduated with a degree in mathematics. An avid adventurer with a tremendous appreciation for nature, Adam spent a year living in Mammoth, California, furthering his passion for the outdoors and skiing, going on to teach Lynn how to snowboard when they met.
Adam and Lynn spent their early years as a couple living in the South End and continued to maintain an apartment there, where Adam recently celebrated his 50th birthday on the rooftop. They also settled in Arlington, where Adam enjoyed a 20-year career at Fidelity Investments as a software engineer. More recently, while being treated for cancer, he returned to work to become a director.
Adam’s warmth, energy, and welcoming smile radiated throughout his community. He was a long-time soccer coach in Arlington and, more recently, for the town travel basketball program, which he continued throughout his illness. He loved running and hiking with his family, including his golden retriever, Jay. He refused to let glioblastoma slow him down, and he continued to play in various competitive soccer leagues despite his illness. He was also a tireless champion for Aidan and Mason, fostering their love of music and sports, and taking enormous pride in their accomplishments. He was an amazing husband, father, friend—and, of course, an avid Celtics fan.
The family would like to extend appreciation to Adam’s team at Mass General Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, as well as to the Sanborn Foundation, which supports Arlington families facing cancer.
There will be a private ceremony for immediate family, followed by a celebration of life, in late August at his beloved family home in mid-coast Maine, where he and Lynn married and where his family enjoyed many summer excursions.
Donations in Adam’s memory may be made to the Glioblastoma Foundation (www.glioblastomafoundation.org) or the Musella Foundation (virtualtrials.org), both focused on advancing research, patient rights, treatment, and advocacy for this incurable disease.
Most of all, Adam sustained immense appreciation for the simple things that mattered most in life—family, friends, hobbies, the outdoors. Beyond donations, the best way to honor his legacy is to make the most of every day, refusing to postpone joy.
Adam is survived by his wife and best friend of 16 years, Lynn Chachkes, and two cherished sons, Aidan and Mason. He is also survived by his mother, Harriet Chachkes, and brothers Alex Chachkes and Joel Chachkes (Kara Hayes). He also leaves his nephews, Sam, George, and Jack Chachkes, and his niece, Anya Chachkes, as well as his aunt, Deborah McManus, and her children, Mage (Rick Schock, with children Fred and Emma) and Sophie (Jay Mones, with daughter Vivien). His father, Chaim Chachkes, and his uncle, Jason McManus, predeceased him.
Adam was born on June 5, 1971, and spent much of his adolescence in East Greenwich, RI, where his love of the ocean grew. He attended Tufts University, where he graduated with a degree in mathematics. An avid adventurer with a tremendous appreciation for nature, Adam spent a year living in Mammoth, California, furthering his passion for the outdoors and skiing, going on to teach Lynn how to snowboard when they met.
Adam and Lynn spent their early years as a couple living in the South End and continued to maintain an apartment there, where Adam recently celebrated his 50th birthday on the rooftop. They also settled in Arlington, where Adam enjoyed a 20-year career at Fidelity Investments as a software engineer. More recently, while being treated for cancer, he returned to work to become a director.
Adam’s warmth, energy, and welcoming smile radiated throughout his community. He was a long-time soccer coach in Arlington and, more recently, for the town travel basketball program, which he continued throughout his illness. He loved running and hiking with his family, including his golden retriever, Jay. He refused to let glioblastoma slow him down, and he continued to play in various competitive soccer leagues despite his illness. He was also a tireless champion for Aidan and Mason, fostering their love of music and sports, and taking enormous pride in their accomplishments. He was an amazing husband, father, friend—and, of course, an avid Celtics fan.
The family would like to extend appreciation to Adam’s team at Mass General Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, as well as to the Sanborn Foundation, which supports Arlington families facing cancer.
There will be a private ceremony for immediate family, followed by a celebration of life, in late August at his beloved family home in mid-coast Maine, where he and Lynn married and where his family enjoyed many summer excursions.
Donations in Adam’s memory may be made to the Glioblastoma Foundation (www.glioblastomafoundation.org) or the Musella Foundation (virtualtrials.org), both focused on advancing research, patient rights, treatment, and advocacy for this incurable disease.
Most of all, Adam sustained immense appreciation for the simple things that mattered most in life—family, friends, hobbies, the outdoors. Beyond donations, the best way to honor his legacy is to make the most of every day, refusing to postpone joy.