Paul Adams

Circleville: Paul J. Adams, age 88, of Circleville, passed away on Friday, November 8, 2013 at Pickaway Manor, Circleville, Ohio. Paul was born on April 14, 1925 in Tomahawk, Kentucky, to James M. and Joann (Preece) Adams, both of whom are deceased. He married Ella J. Perry on March 5, 1943 and enjoyed 64 years of marriage. They renewed their vows on their 50th anniversary in 1993 with family and friends in attendance. Paul is survived by his children: Larry (Virginia) Adams of Spofford, NH; Barry (Elizabeth MacLeish) Adams of Circleville, OH; and Vickie (Mike) Anderson of Kettering, OH; grandchildren: Kate Adams Shanks (Todd) of Keene, NH; Matthew Adams of Newport, RI; Jeanette Anderson Prell (Terry) of Dayton, OH; and Jennifer Anderson of Kettering, OH; and one great-grandson: Kaden Michael of Dayton, OH. All three of Paul's children are graduates of Circleville High School. Paul is survived by one sister: Eve Martin, of Inez, Kentucky. He was preceded in death by his parents James and Joanna (Preece) Adams; his wife, Ella; seven brothers: Rockford Adams; Alex Adams; Martin Adams, Herbert Adams; John Adams, twins Elmer and Elden Adams; and two sisters: Roxie Adams Dials; and Polly Ann Adams. Paul entered the Army in August 1941, and following basic training and assignments at Fort Monmouth, NJ was deployed to Great Britain prior to being deployed as part of the landing forces in the Battle of Normandy invasion in June 1941. Attached to the 250th Signal Operations Company, Paul worked with a three man crew installing forward communication systems along the front lines throughout World War II, including the Battle of the Bulge. Following his war time experience and training, Paul joined General Telephone Company of Ohio but reenlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve and served until 1954. Called up during the Korean Conflict, Paul was granted a waiver from active duty at the request of GTE. A few years later, in 1964, Paul once again reenlisted, this time in the Ohio National Guard, and served in the 216th Engineering Battalion Company, Company D, quartered in Circleville. Paul retired from the National Guard as a Sergeant First Class in 1985. His service ribbons and medals include those presented for Operation Overload (D-Day), the Battle of the Bulge, the European Theater, and Good Conduct. He also received the Jubilee of Liberty Medal from the Regional Council of Normandy as a member of the U.S. armed forces that liberated Normandy in 1944. Following his four years of active duty during World War II, Paul and his wife Ella moved to Ohio, and lived in Plain City, Ohio prior to moving to Circleville in 1959, where he later became the supervisor of installation and maintenance for the GTE District Office. His career at GTE extended more than 40 years, beginning as a lineman and working as a line foreman before taking on the positions of construction and safety supervisor and service supervisor after relocating to Circleville. Adams retired from GTE in 1988. A member of the Enlisted Men's Association, the Elks, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Sertoma, and the Circleville Athletic Booster Club, Paul was a prolific blood donor who began donating blood in 1955. In 1984, he was recognized by the American Red Cross for passing the 12-gallon blood donor mark. He had surpassed his original goal of 13 pints several times. Paul will be remembered for his love of family and friends, gardening, traveling, and service to the community. He was a member of the Community United Methodist Church. In 2005, Paul and fellow WWII Army unit members from the 250th Signal Operations Company celebrated their 60th reunion, having met regularly since the war, including annually in recent years. Funeral services for Paul Adams will be held at 11:00 AM, Friday, November 15, 2013 at the Wellman Funeral Home in Circleville with the Rev. Barry Burns officiating the services. Burial will follow at Forest Cemetery where military graveside rites will be conducted. Visitations will be held on Thursday, November 14, 2013 from 2 – 4 PM and 6 – 8 PM at Wellman Funeral Home. Family members are requesting that if flowers are sent that they be arranged through the Wagner's Flowers in Circleville, whose original owners were close and dear friends of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to either Berger Hospice (1170 North Court St., Suite B, Circleville, OH 43113) or the Folds of Honor Foundation, an organization devoted to providing educational opportunities to children and spouses of wounded or fallen service members (5800 N. Patriot Drive, Owasso, OK 74055) or online at:
https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/FoldsofHonorFoundation/OnlineDonation.html.