William Adams Jr

William M. Adams, Jr., 76, of Concord, died at his home on June 10, 2010 of cancer. Mr. Adams was born January 4, 1934 in Washington DC to the late William M. and Irene J. Adams. During his childhood, he lived in many places while his father served in the Coast Guard. He graduated from high school in Palo Alto, CA and received his BA from Whittier College. He served in the US Army in the Korean War from 1952-1953 as a combat medic and later in the National Guard in California and Washington DC. In 1956, he married Alice Janet Winfrey. After that marriage ended in divorce, he married Mary Elizabeth Campbell in Washington DC in 1968. He remained in Washington DC until 1993 when he retired from his position as a Project Manager at the Physical Plant at the University of Maryland, College Park and moved to Concord, NC. Bill enjoyed life through the many interests he pursued in traveling, geology, history, politics, photography, gardening, and stimulating conversations with friends and family. Mr. Adams and his wife traveled often to England where he could indulge in his love of history. He also attended classes at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte campus. During his retirement, he volunteered with Habitat for Humanity as a Master Gardner at the Cabarrus County Mediation Center and in serving meals at the men's shelter in Charlotte through St. Martin's Episcopal Church. He is survived by: wife, Mary Adams, of Concord; four daughters from his first marriage, Kathleen (Robert) Gerry, of Gile, WI, Kristin (David) Nelson, of Chantilly, VA, Kimberly Adams, of Chantilly, VA, Faith Adams, of Los Angeles, CA; son, Christopher (Melinda) Adams, of Gaithersburg, MD; seven grandchildren, Trevor and Robin Gerry, Evan, Kieran, and Rory Nelson, Brian and Patrick Adams; and one great-granddaughter, Grace Crosby. Services will be held on Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at 11:00 am at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Charlotte, NC with the family greeting friends starting at 10:00 am. Internment will be at a later date in Summersville, W VA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to, Hospice and Palliative Care of Cabarrus County, 5003 Hospice Lane, Kannapolis, NC, 28081 or St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 1510 East Seventh Street, Charlotte, NC, 28204.