Son of Dessie and Jim Adams. He grew up in a thriving coal mining community but was determined not to follow a path into the coal mines. He excelled at sports and was class president several times through high school. His friends knew him as Ruggie, a nickname he acquired when he played for the Lynch Bulldogs. He attended Eastern Kentucky College where he was active in ROTC and graduated as an officer in the U.S. Army. He met Rose Michelle Dann before shipping off to Mannheim Germany, one of the 19 stops along his 20-year military career. He was a lifetime learner and attended many military schools including Carlisle War College. He later pursued a Masters Degree from Central Michigan University where he graduated in the same ceremony as his son. His tours included Vietnam, and while in Africa, he was kept hostage under Muammar Gaddafi in the coup of 1969. He was kept under house arrest until the U.S. agreed to provide provisions for Libyan military, and was the last of military personnel out of Libya. He receiving numerous Meritorious Service Medals, Army commendation Medals, Air Medals, and Vietnam Services medals.
He retired as Lt. Colonel in 1974 and continued his career with Martin Marietta, FMC, and GE, working as a defense contractor. He traveled extensively to the Middle East and carried two passports to visit unfriendly neighbors. He and Michelle retired in Orlando, FL. He also had an interest in genealogy and produced a large volume of work on the family tree, the history of Lynch, and the rise and fall of the coal mining town. He spent his last years with his son, Dann, and his family in Georgia. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Michelle Adams; brother, Jack Thomas Adams; and two brothers-in-law, Carl "Nick" Dann and Dennis Michael Dann. Surviving are his only son, J Dann (Dawn) Adams; three grandchildren, Spencer Adams, Chase Adams and Derek (Vicky) West; two great granddaughters, Danyelle Hunt and Charlotte Wes; sister, Sue (Wayne) Farris, and sisters-in-law, Peggy Adams and Karen Dann. CoD: Long-term complications from COVID-19.
His wishes were to be cremated and interred at the Georgia National Cemetery with a military service, as well as ashes spread at the special places in Lynch, KY and Eustis, FL.
He retired as Lt. Colonel in 1974 and continued his career with Martin Marietta, FMC, and GE, working as a defense contractor. He traveled extensively to the Middle East and carried two passports to visit unfriendly neighbors. He and Michelle retired in Orlando, FL. He also had an interest in genealogy and produced a large volume of work on the family tree, the history of Lynch, and the rise and fall of the coal mining town. He spent his last years with his son, Dann, and his family in Georgia. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Michelle Adams; brother, Jack Thomas Adams; and two brothers-in-law, Carl "Nick" Dann and Dennis Michael Dann. Surviving are his only son, J Dann (Dawn) Adams; three grandchildren, Spencer Adams, Chase Adams and Derek (Vicky) West; two great granddaughters, Danyelle Hunt and Charlotte Wes; sister, Sue (Wayne) Farris, and sisters-in-law, Peggy Adams and Karen Dann. CoD: Long-term complications from COVID-19.
His wishes were to be cremated and interred at the Georgia National Cemetery with a military service, as well as ashes spread at the special places in Lynch, KY and Eustis, FL.
Son of Dessie and Jim Adams. He grew up in a thriving coal mining community but was determined not to follow a path into the coal mines. He excelled at sports and was class president several times through high school. His friends knew him as Ruggie, a nickname he acquired when he played for the Lynch Bulldogs. He attended Eastern Kentucky College where he was active in ROTC and graduated as an officer in the U.S. Army. He met Rose Michelle Dann before shipping off to Mannheim Germany, one of the 19 stops along his 20-year military career. He was a lifetime learner and attended many military schools including Carlisle War College. He later pursued a Masters Degree from Central Michigan University where he graduated in the same ceremony as his son. His tours included Vietnam, and while in Africa, he was kept hostage under Muammar Gaddafi in the coup of 1969. He was kept under house arrest until the U.S. agreed to provide provisions for Libyan military, and was the last of military personnel out of Libya. He receiving numerous Meritorious Service Medals, Army commendation Medals, Air Medals, and Vietnam Services medals.
He retired as Lt. Colonel in 1974 and continued his career with Martin Marietta, FMC, and GE, working as a defense contractor. He traveled extensively to the Middle East and carried two passports to visit unfriendly neighbors. He and Michelle retired in Orlando, FL. He also had an interest in genealogy and produced a large volume of work on the family tree, the history of Lynch, and the rise and fall of the coal mining town. He spent his last years with his son, Dann, and his family in Georgia. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Michelle Adams; brother, Jack Thomas Adams; and two brothers-in-law, Carl "Nick" Dann and Dennis Michael Dann. Surviving are his only son, J Dann (Dawn) Adams; three grandchildren, Spencer Adams, Chase Adams and Derek (Vicky) West; two great granddaughters, Danyelle Hunt and Charlotte Wes; sister, Sue (Wayne) Farris, and sisters-in-law, Peggy Adams and Karen Dann. CoD: Long-term complications from COVID-19.
His wishes were to be cremated and interred at the Georgia National Cemetery with a military service, as well as ashes spread at the special places in Lynch, KY and Eustis, FL.
He retired as Lt. Colonel in 1974 and continued his career with Martin Marietta, FMC, and GE, working as a defense contractor. He traveled extensively to the Middle East and carried two passports to visit unfriendly neighbors. He and Michelle retired in Orlando, FL. He also had an interest in genealogy and produced a large volume of work on the family tree, the history of Lynch, and the rise and fall of the coal mining town. He spent his last years with his son, Dann, and his family in Georgia. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Michelle Adams; brother, Jack Thomas Adams; and two brothers-in-law, Carl "Nick" Dann and Dennis Michael Dann. Surviving are his only son, J Dann (Dawn) Adams; three grandchildren, Spencer Adams, Chase Adams and Derek (Vicky) West; two great granddaughters, Danyelle Hunt and Charlotte Wes; sister, Sue (Wayne) Farris, and sisters-in-law, Peggy Adams and Karen Dann. CoD: Long-term complications from COVID-19.
His wishes were to be cremated and interred at the Georgia National Cemetery with a military service, as well as ashes spread at the special places in Lynch, KY and Eustis, FL.
Inscription
LTC US ARMY
VIETNAM
BELOVED HUSBAND
AND FATHER
REST IN PEACE
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