Robert J. Adams, Jr.

Robert J. Adams, Jr., Systems Engineer and local Masonic leader, passed away at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester on June 25, 2025.

He was born in 1944, in Indianapolis IN, the eldest son of Robert J. and June (Greene) Adams. Educated in local Indianapolis schools, he graduated from Southport High School in 1962 and from Wabash College in 1966, where he majored in Physics as a Pete Vaughan Scholar and pledged the Sigma Chi Delta Chi fraternity. An avid sportsman, he captained his varsity high school football squad and lettered in wrestling and baseball, gaining selection to the Indiana South Central All-Conference Team. As co-captain of the Wabash Little Giants in the 1964-65 seasons, he anchored the team as quarterback and helped them re-capture the Monon Bell from rival DePauw in 1965, while also lettering in wrestling.

Bob continued his post-graduate studies in Aerospace Engineering at Columbia University. While employed at Marine Midland Grace Trust in New York City, he began a lifetime professional journey in systems and applications programming: Assembly, FORTRAN, COBOL, C and Pascal were just a few of his many foundational languages. In 1969 he moved his family to central Massachusetts, first to Holden, then settling in Shrewsbury in 1971 where he remained a resident for 54 years.

He started his lengthy career in Information Systems in New England at Reed & Prince Manufacturing in Worcester, followed by a stint as Director of Information Management at Morton Shoe, in Boston, in the mid-1970s. Known by his colleagues as a legend in his field, Bob was one of the early "cowboy developers", who roamed the Boston tech and corporate landscape during much of the 1980s and 90s, working as consultants to provide expertise on particular systems and develop and integrate complex software programs. He spent more than 30 years as an independent contractor in the Greater Boston area, applying his capabilities across a wide range of industries, from defense, government, banking/finance and telecommunications to academia, insurance, manufacturing and retail. Dozens of companies and organizations benefited from his expertise and analysis: Blue Cross/Blue Shield, AT&T, Digital Equipment, Smith Valve, Monsanto, Genesys, Data General, GTE Strategic Systems, Coopers & Lybrand, Cahners Publishing and Standard Thompson were but a few he served.

He was especially proud of his work at Boston Edison's Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in the late 1980s, where he engineered their Radiologicial Information Management System and designed their state-of-the-art dosimetry entry network. As Senior System Engineer for AlliedSignal for nearly a decade, he managed their pivotal CICS and Enterprise Systems and helped oversee their Y2K conversion project. Beginning in 1992, he joined the new development team at the Massachusetts Institute of Techology, overseeing a multi-year re-engineering of one of the most significant components of the MIT ecosystem: the mission-critical Student Information (MITSIS). Bob and the team were founding members of what would eventually emerge as MIT's central IT team, now known as IS&T, and the MITSIS network they designed is still used today.

Bob also mentored local information tech aspirants via his own start-up company, Trisys Inc., with several going on to form successful programming careers. During a time in life when most retired, he spent the past 17 years as Senior Systems Analyst at MIT, sharing his love of programming and IT systems knowledge with new generations.

The son and nephew of Freemasons, he began his active involvement in Masonry in 1982, initiated as a Master Mason of the Norumbega and Brookline Lodge in Newtonville, MA. He assumed the role of Master of the Lodge in 1988, directing administrative duties, conferring degrees and managing ceremonial activity. He served two years as District Deputy Grand Master of the Brighton 5th District and was voted into the Needham Masters Lodge in 2003. Initiated as a member of Massachusetts York Rite in 1983, he was a member of the Newton Royal Arch Chapter, York Rite Cryptic Council and Gethsemane DeMolay Commandery. He served several terms as the head of those bodies: four terms as High Priest of Triad Chapter of York Rite; three terms as Illustrious Master of Cryptic Council, Commander of Gethsemane DeMolay Commandery in 1998 and Past Grand Warder of Grand Commandery of the Knights Templar in 2004. He joined the Valley of Boston Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction in February 1990, receiving his 4th and 32nd degrees of that body.

Bob had many other interests of a wide range: film, music, science, technology and mathematics were a few. He had encyclopedic knowledge of the films of the two Johns: Wayne and Ford, and love for cinematic westerns and World War II-themed movies. His elder children recall his detailed analysis of Ford's The Searchers, Gary Cooper's High Noon and Frank Sinatra's final scene in Von Ryans Express. He loved reading, especially his favorite science fiction; swimming; contract bridge; and in later years watching basketball with granddaughter Madison and playing card games with his grandson Ryan. He and his wife Linda also participated in many ballroom dancing competitions and showcases.

His love of athletics continued throughout his life, as an enthusiastic fan of local Boston-area sports teams and as a member of The Shrewsbury Club, participating in their racquetball leagues. He supported sports in the community, serving as volunteer Assistant Varsity and JV football coach in Shrewsbury, coaching the Colonials during the 1984-85 season. Ever the adventurer, he was always first to lead the charge down perilous Black Diamond runs during family ski trips, and enthusiastically celebrated his 40th birthday by skydiving from 10,000 feet.

He was predeceased by his parents and mother-in-law Doris Klein Perks. Bob is survived by his wife of 41 years, Linda E. Perks-Adams; four children: Melissa L. Adams of Shrewsbury, Emily H. Adams-Miralles and husband John of Tallahassee, Elizabeth R. Mitchell and husband Matt of Shrewsbury, and Victoria J. Murphy and husband Ben of Arlington; grandchildren Michael and Matthew Miralles of Tallahassee, Elena Miralles of New York City and Madison and Ryan Mitchell of Shrewsbury. He will be greatly missed by his brothers and their families: John and Myrna Adams of Evergreen, CO; Garry and Becky Adams of Greenwood, IN and Larry and Lindora Adams of Indianapolis, as well as sister-in-law Beverly Perks-Ricciardone and husband David, brother-in-laws Raymond Perks and wife Cheryl and Herbert Perks and wife Debbie; and countless nieces, nephews, cousins, neighbors, friends and colleagues.

His family would like to thank the staff of UMass Memorial Medical Center and his doctors at UMMHC Medical Group, for their attentive and supportive care the past few years. Memorial services are planned for a later date.