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ADAMS, Clifford William
Gold River resident Cliff Adams passed away on May 21, 2012. Born in Oakland, CA on June 21, 1923, he graduated from Oakland High School and UC Berkeley. Preceded in death by mother Ethel Whalen; father Clifford William Adams, Sr.; and sister Barbara Adams Smith. Survived by wife of 66 years, Elaine; sons, Mike (Nancy) and Brian; daughter Diane (Paul); granddaughter Krista (Gabe); grandson Klein; great-grandson Trevor.
As an ROTC, pre-med student at UC, he was assigned in 1943 to Army Officers Candidate School, Ft. Benning, GA; re- assigned to the Infantry; shipped out December 1944 to Naples, Italy; then reassigned to the Mediterranean Allied Air Force as a medic. After V-E Day, May 1945, his MAAF unit was packing for deployment to Japan when USO entertainers, the Andrews Sisters, announced atom bombing of Japan and the end of WWII. After marriage in 1945, military discharge the following year, and UC graduation in 1948, he worked briefly at Breuner's, Sacramento, as Drapery Dept. Assistant Buyer/ Decorator. In 1950, he resumed his USAF career as a federal civilian employee, retiring in 1979. Employed at McClellan AFB, Norton AFB and Plattsburgh AFB, his projects included the F-104 and F-111 aircraft, and he was Deputy Chief for the Atlas Ballistic Missile Update program in NY, winning Project Red Heat award. In 1969, as civilian supervisor, he volunteered to head a supply group to Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. He and his wife traveled extensively in Europe, Scandinavia and Canada. He loved Lake Tahoe's Meeks Bay, skiing, tennis, swimming and Mick, TV Channel 3's SPCA Dog of the Week. Vacation time was always a priority when his children were growing up. Family gratitude is extended to Teo Anton and family at Oak Garden Senior Residence, Carmichael. Military services will be held at a later date at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, Dixon, CA.
Published in The Sacramento Bee on June 20, 2012
