Fred Lawrence Adair

1923 - 2017

ALEXANDRIA - Fred Lawrence Adair age 93, a former resident of Williamsburg, VA, died Thursday morning May 18, 2017 in Alexandria, VA. Mr. Adair was born in Bigelow, Arkansas on August 20, 1923. He was the son of Fred Adair and Eva Wann Adair of Little Rock, Arkansas. His mother predeceased him in 1950 and his father in 1967. Mr. Adair had an illustrious 93+ years with many public faces. College professor, marriage and family counselor, high school teacher, church elder, businessman, Marine Corps officer, fighter pilot, and Southwestern Bell lineman were amongst his private sector and civic roles, going back to his teenage years in Little Rock, Arkansas. His longest continuous service was as Professor in the School of Education at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg. He retired in 1992 after twenty-one years of service. During those same years, he also founded the Family Counseling Center in the School of Education, and served as Chair of the National Board of Certified Counselors. He continued to be active after retirement, teaching as an adjunct professor at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, leading anger management sessions for inmates in the Yorktown Corrections Department, and chairing the minister's search committee for the Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists. He leaves behind many grateful friends from his years of dedicated service to his fellow man. He is survived by his loving wife of 33 years, Joan Sprigle-Adair of Alexandria, VA, whose four children and their families welcomed him as father and grandfather in their lives: Wendy Sprigle of Charlottesville, VA; Stephen and Shari Sprigle and family of Atlanta, GA; David Aden Sprigle of Hilo, HI; Corine Sprigle-Fesler and Garrett Fesler and family of Alexandria, VA. He was predeceased in 1997 by his first wife, Martha Jordan Adair, originally of Washington, NC. They are survived by their two sons, Fred Lawrence Adair Jr of Chestnut Hill, MA, and Charles Ottis Jordan Adair of Chapel Hill, NC; two daughters, Martha Jane Adair Moore of Pittsboro, NC and Carolyn Adair Maddox of Raleigh, NC; and three grandchildren. Mr. Adair was a lifelong hiker and outdoorsman. His body was cremated and his ashes will be scattered later this year, in accordance with his wishes, on his favorite section of The Appalachian Trail in western Virginia.