M. Wayne Adams

Professor M. Wayne Adams

Crystal

Professor M. Wayne Adams of Crystal, (formerly of Okemos) MI, died September 9, 2015 at the age of 97.

Born in 1918, in Catlin, IN, he was the eldest son of Claude and Madge Adams. He graduated first in his class from Purdue University where he was editor of the Purdue Agriculturist, received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, and was hired by South Dakota State University where he was the alfalfa expert for twelve years. In 1959, Wayne began his career as a distinguished professor of plant genetics in the Crop Science department at Michigan State University, and for the next thirty seven years devoted his attention to the creation and improvement of navy beans. While heading a large grant for USAID at Cambridge University, Wayne was invited to become a fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge University, UK. The bulk of his career was devoted to solving the problem of third world food production.

After Pearl Harbor, Wayne enlisted in the Navy and rose to the rank of First Lt. He was assistant Commander of a Mine Sweeper in the South Pacific.

In 1945, Wayne married his high school sweetheart and wife of sixty seven years, Marjorie Baker Adams, together they raised five children.

A father of seven, grandfather of ten, great grandfather of seven, he was preceded in death by two infant daughters, Marlis and Nyla Kay Adams; his wife; and his brother Wendell Adams. Survivors include his sister, Betty Joe Fox, sister in law, Madonna M. Adams, both of the Rockville area of Indiana, and five children, sons, Stanley (Tracy Valentine) Adams of Leavenworth Washington, Vernon (Mindy) Adams of Stanton Michigan, daughters, Beverly Adams of Crystal, Phyllis (Jeffery) Totten of Washington, D.C. and Sylvia (Jeffery) Norris of Traverse City. Wayne and Marge had ten grandchildren, Ian (Kimberly) Adams, Erin (Mike Lamon) Adams, Phillip (Crystal) Norris, Hayley (Jeremy) Ball, Emma Norris, Kendrick Darrow, Brooke (Erik) Hansen, April and Vernon jr. Adams, P. Fielding Totten, and seven great grand children, Kayla and Macey Kate Norris, Cadigan and Couper Adams, Hollie Lamon, Kylie Ball and soon to be baby Ball.

A memorial service is planned for October 18th, 2:00 p.m. in Crystal, MI, at the Lux and Schnepp Funeral Home.

Memorial donations can be made to the M.W. Adams scholarship fund at the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences at M.S.U., or the Carson City, MI, food pantry.

Please share your thoughts and memories of Wayne by way of his online guestbook at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com

The family is being cared for by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Service.