George Adams Sr.

Adams, George Sr. 1921-2018
George Adams Sr. passed away on Tuesday, June 5, 2018 at the age of 96 years old. George was born September 29, 1921 in McKeesport, PA to Mary (Kerston) and George Adams. He began his career working in the tool and die department at Louis Marx and Company as a teenager. In 1939, George started a mechanical engineering apprenticeship at General Electric in Erie, PA. His work and studies were interrupted by the onset of World War II when he enlisted in the U.S. Army in early 1942.
George served in the 95th Infantry where he saw action in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe, receiving two purple hearts. After the war, George went into the lumber business, opening the first all-electric sawmill in western Pennsylvania. In 1950, George was called back into the service. He served as a master sergeant in the 101st Airborne Infantry Basic Training Division at Camp Breckinridge Kentucky. After the completion of his military service, George moved to Los Angeles to work at the Continental Can Company. There he worked in machining, and tool and die work. That led George into a succession of companies that he started in manufacturing, and then in construction. He started the Gemite Construction Company in 1960. Gemite went on to build single-family homes, apartments, fire stations and mobile home parks.
In 1973, George acquired a small auto-wrecking business in Anaheim that had a one-man scrap metal operation. From those humble beginnings, George founded Orange County Steel Salvage and the business grew from there with the help of his four children, George, Mike, Terry, and Wendy. George's dream was to build a car shredding operation. That dream was realized in 1980 when the company completed installation of a 2500 horsepower automobile shredder in Anaheim. The company grew over the years to become Adams Steel and eventually through a number of mergers and acquisitions, became SA Recycling.
Today SA Recycling is one of the largest scrap metal recycling companies in the country with 75 locations from coast-to-coast, including three deep water port facilities, 14 auto shredding plants, and over 2,000 employees across eight states.
George leaves behind his wife Dolores of 63 years, their children George, Mike, Terry, and Wendy. He also leaves behind his brothers Richard and Raymond, his sister Dolores, and a daughter Patti, along with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held on June 20, 2018 at 2:30pm in Orange, California at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery. For further details, please contact MRobison@sarecycling.com.