Adele Louise Yanco Schonbrun died peacefully on Sunday, May 28 at Windemere Nursing in Oak Bluffs after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 76.

A prolific artist who was skilled in many mediums, she is best known for her work in clay. Several of her sculptures are held in the permanent collection of museums in the U.S., France, and Japan. Her porcelain necktie, titled T.G.I.F. is owned by the Renwick Gallery in the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Throughout her career, she continued the mission of her mentor, Paul Soldner, to free ceramics from their traditional function as useful household goods and make them a vehicle for artistic and personal expression.

In addition to her work she taught ceramics at Berea College in Berea, Ky., Connecticut College in New London, Conn., and Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colo. She was also an avid skier and sailor, gourmet cook, and dog lover.

A well-known Island artist, she was represented by Shaw Cramer Gallery and participated in many benefit shows at both Featherstone and The Field Gallery.

Adele was born Jan. 30, 1941 in Boston to Helena Zander Yanco and Renauld Theodore Yanco. She graduated from Roslindale High School in 1958. She received a full scholarship to The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1962. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1965 from Claremont Graduate School at Scripps College, where she studied ceramics under the mentorship of Paul Soldner.

She is survived by her husband of 49 years, Stanley Schonbrun of West Tisbury and Port Chester, N.Y.; her daughters, Heather Klinck and her husband, Charles, of Union Springs, Ala., and Serena Connelly and her husband, Tim, of Pelham, N.Y.; her sister Sandy Abrams of Long Beach, Calif.; and one grandson, Odin Barnaby Connelly.

As she requested, a brief memorial service will be held on Friday, June 2 at 3 p.m., rain or shine, at East Beach in Westerly, R.I., where she had spent many happy summers as a child.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Featherstone Center for the Arts or Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.