Gerald Adams

Us relative youngsters in North Beach and environs learned a lot from Gerald---a mentor to many with his keen insights about environmental/ urban design, when those subjects were still relatively novel. Because his journalistic and intellectual mindset probed deeply, one needed to discuss topics with clarity and without contradictions---testing one's assumptions. Above all, Gerald was a neighborhood institution, part of what makes North Beach and The City so interesting.

Very sad to learn of Mr. Adams's passing. He was of grand age but he should have lived and continued writing forever. I met Mr. Adams in February of 1984 when I was advocating for the survival of San Francisco's 1906 Earthquake Refugee Shacks. Mr. Adams wrote a beautiful piece, which greatly helped put the Shacks back on San Francisco's map, and was published in the EX on February 24, 1984.-- "Battle to Save Quake Victims' Shacks." He went on to write several other articles about my efforts...

Anna, We were deeply saddened to you read of your loss of Gerry. He was one of my oldest friends from life after college. We had many friends in common but first met at Fort Ord in 1951 (I think) when we found ourselves assigned to the same office where he was a writer for the Fort newspaper and I was an instructor. In real life our paths crossed frequently when he was a highly respected journalist covering urban affairs and I was in the real estate business. We enjoyed meals together and...

Gerry Adams and I met several times while I was the Executive Director of the North Beach Chamber of Commerce. We talked about the positive and negative projects in North Beach soliciting each other's input. Sometimes I would see him at the long, drawn out Planning Commission hearings. And occasionally I would see him casually in the supermarket and elsewhere. It was always a pleasure to see him and discuss the burgeoning issues impacting North Beach and the city. He was the consummate...

I will miss his kindness and intelligence. I will miss his beautiful baritone voice, which gave us, who sang with him, much pleasure.I