PETER BOYLSTON ADAMS

ADAMS, Peter Boylston 73, of Wimauma, FL and Scituate, MA, a direct descendant of Presidents John and John Quincy Adams, died on Friday, March 4, 2016. A graduate of Norwich and Boston Universities and a veteran of the Vietnam War, he served as a helicopter pilot and earned numerous medals, including the Bronze Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, and the Air Medal with 30 oak leaf clusters. A good landing, he was fond of saying, was one you could crawl away from. A great one meant you could use the helicopter again, which he would wryly point out, he was unable to do on 7 occasions. After the military, Peter had a successful commercial banking career. An avid historian with a dynamic personality, he was often asked to speak on behalf of the Adams family. He served in prominent roles in many organizations, including the Boston Veterans Homeless Shelter. After his cancer diagnosis, which was attributed to Agent Orange, Peter became a vocal advocate for other disabled veterans. Peter is survived by his wife, Sherry P. Adams, three sons, Charles Francis Adams, Reid Boylston Adams and Rett McKay Adams, and six grandchildren. A memorial service will be held in Scituate, MA in late August. Memorial donations may be made to the Disabled Veterans of America.