Adam Halstead

Adam George William Halstead, 54, born in Wheldrake, Yorkshire, England, died peacefully on December 4 in Madison, Wisconsin. Adam is survived by his wife, Amy Thomas; daughters Maya and Zoe Halstead; parents Thomas and Diana Halstead of the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield, England; and sister Tessa (Paul) Fenton of Streetly, West Midlands, England.

Adam shared close relationships with his mother- and father-in-law, Deborah and Gary Thomas, and with his sisters- and brothers-in-law. He was a proud uncle to six nieces and one nephew, who brought him great love and joy.

Adam grew up in Yorkshire and attended Fulford Comprehensive Academy in York. His childhood was idyllic—filled with countryside rambles with family, playing cricket, and practicing electric guitar. He studied Chemistry at the University of Manchester and, after graduating, worked in Palo Alto, California, before moving to London, where he met the love of his life, Amy.

Adam and Amy married and welcomed their daughters, Maya and Zoe, while living in Montréal, Québec, Canada. Adam worked in the tech start-up industry and completed graduate studies in Bioinformatics at McGill University. Montréal’s joie de vivre matched his own, and he formed lifelong friendships there.

After moving to Madison, Adam joined the University of Wisconsin, where he worked for more than 16 years. He admired the natural beauty of the lakes and cherished the community spirit—block parties, supportive neighbors, and wonderful friends. He could often be found taking Maya and Zoe to campus for Science Saturdays, hiking lakeside trails, or “jumping around” at Badger athletic events. At the time of his passing, he served as Director of Clinical Applications for Informatics in the University of Wisconsin’s Department of Medicine and Public Health.

Adam will be remembered for his warm heart, quick wit, and the unmistakable twinkle in his eyes. Please raise a glass—or a cuppa tea—for our Adam.

A memorial will be held at Cress Funeral Home, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison on Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 12PM. A visitation will take place from 10AM until the time of service, with refreshments to follow at the funeral home.

A celebration of life will be held in England in the spring. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the UW–Madison Carbone Cancer Center Research Fund.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

3610 Speedway Road, Madison

(608) 238-3434