Roy Elmer Adams, age 87, of Bartlett, Tennessee passed away on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Roy was born May 1, 1934 in Lancaster, PA.
The rock of the family, ‘Pops’ was the most devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and uncle. Roy was born in Lancaster, PA on May 1, 1934 to the late Roy Weaver and Erma Valentine Adams. He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years Martha and sons Steve of Joplin, MO and Doug (Christine) of Germantown, TN along with seven grandchildren, one great-grandson and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.
Roy is also survived by sisters Shirley McGaw of Lancaster PA, Judith Reba of Red Lion, PA and Linda Gephardt of Baltimore, MD. In addition to his parents, Roy was preceded in death by his son Richard (Danny) Adams, sisters Edna Wolf, Catherine Tyree and brother Richard (Dick) Adams. Also preceding him in death was his great grandson Ellis Stephen Tripp.
He was a 1955 graduate of East Donegal High School in Lancaster, PA., enlisting in the United States Navy, shortly thereafter. After boot camp in Norman, OK he started a career as an aviation electronics technician. Roy served aboard the aircraft carriers U.S.S. Essex, U.S.S. Constellation, and U.S.S. Independence. He retired honorably in 1977 as a Chief Petty Officer after 22 years of service. During his service, he earned the Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and The Vietnam Service Medal. His tour of duty took him all over the world and saw him establish residences stretching coast to coast from Virginia Beach to San Diego, and from Key West to finally Memphis. While serving in the Navy, he began pursuing an Associate’s Degree at State Technical Institute and graduated in 1980 with his degree in Vocational Technical Education.
Roy continued his Avionics career after military retirement as an aviation electronics instructor for private contractors serving the US Navy including State Technical Institute and Central Texas College, finally permanently retiring in 1998.
Since early adulthood and starting his family, Roy’s primary passion became and always remained his devotion to family, both immediate and extended. Whether Roy’s time, talent or treasure, family and friends always knew it was just a phone call away. He was quick to come over and try to diagnose and hopefully solve car troubles, pack up and take Mom to a family or friend in need to just ‘be there’, or write a check to get someone through tough times.
Pop had a passion for sports – Navy and Penn State football, Dallas Cowboys NFL, Philadelphia Phillies baseball, PGA Golf and NASCAR. Over the past several years he’d become an avid Fox News follower but would frequently relent and join Martha in watching old westerns, Gunsmoke reruns, Bluebloods and Vanna White on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ (for Martha of course). During ‘Wheel’ the volume was often muted so we know he wasn’t ‘puzzle solving’.
Pop’s favorites in the kitchen were his specially seasoned mashed potatoes, red-beet seasoned eggs (think boiled eggs, onions, red beets and vinegar) and a skillet fry ‘goulash’ of onions, potatoes combined with anything in the frig that might be approaching an expiration date.
The simplest pleasures of life brought the most joy to Pop. Of late, he loved spending time with family, bird watching in the back yard, watching television, taking shorter daily drives to the Naval Base or the local Chick-fil-A with the love of his life, Martha. Pop’s gentle personality, sense of humor, dependability and just good common sense were so infectious and are so, so greatly missed.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, March 8th at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 3700 N. Germantown Rd. Bartlett, TN from 1:00 to 2:00 pm. A memorial service will immediately follow beginning at 2:00 pm, followed by interment in Memphis Memorial Gardens, 3700 N. Germantown Rd. Bartlett, TN.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MemphisFuneralGermantownParkway.com for the Adams family.
Published by The Daily Memphian on Mar. 7, 2022.
