James Lee Adams Jr.

James Lee Adams, Jr., 82, was born on January 2, 1943 in Camilla, GA and died on October 1, 2025. His parents were James Lee Adams, Sr. and Ruth Borland Adams. James graduated from Georgia Tech with a BS degree in Management in 1965, and continued his education at Auburn University attaining a Masters Degree in Business Administration in 1966. While at Auburn he taught undergraduate courses in Economics and Statistics. Upon graduation he joined Lockheed Aircraft Corporation and served in various capacities in administration. After marrying Sue Martin of Birmingham the following year, January of 1968, they moved to Camilla, GA and resided there the remainder of their lives. Their marriage endured over 52 years.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. Friday, October 3 at Camilla United Methodist Church with interment in Oakview Cemetery. Rev. Chris Shoemaker and Rev. Keith Goodlett will officiate.

James and Sue were blessed with three girls, Victoria Ruth Adams Davis (Kip), Susan Lee Adams Glass (Mark), and Sarah Lynne Adams, all residing in Camilla. In addition, he has seven grandchildren, James David Davis (Jelly), Susan Grace Davis Whitehead (Spencer), John Daniel Davis, Elizabeth Anne Glass, Mark Alan Glass, Jr. (Abby), David Martin Glass (Taylor), and Hannah Marie Glass.

James is also survived by his wife, Barbara Ford Lapham of Camilla; step daughter, Susie Collins (Kyle); step son, Jimmy Lapham (Tara); step grandchildren, Caleb and Logan Collins, Brianna, Kacie, and Brayden Lapham; his sister, Nan Borland Adams Williamson (Eddie); brothers-in-law, Earl Ford, Jr. (Patsy) and Guy Martin, Jr. (Lynne); sisters-in-law, Betsy Perpall and Vicki Holton; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

James joined his father in his farming operation and soon thereafter began to adopt aggressive farming innovations - computers, center pivot and drip irrigation, and yield monitors and precision agriculture most notable. He and his farming associates set numerous yield records – 300 plus bushel corn, 100 plus bushel wheat (the first to do so in Georgia) and so forth. James was the first to transition from row crops to solar electric generation.

Alpha Zeta chose James as one of the one hundred most influential people in agriculture in the 20th century. He was chairman in creating the soybean check-off – financing market development and research with over $200 million in funds raised annually, assisted in writing several Farm Bills including Conservation titles in 1990, crop insurance and general commodity titles. James served on the Agriculture Policy Trade Committee (APAC) from 1987-1992 participating in formulating GATT and NAFTA negotiations. He was a leader in the overturning of the European Agricultural Policy by filing a 301 complaint against the European Economic Community, "Progressive Farmer" magazine named him "Man of the Year in Service to Southeastern Agriculture in 1992", an honor rarely bestowed. The University of Georgia inducted him to its Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2000, its youngest honoree. James also was President of the American Soybean Association and Chairman of its Board in the late 1980s. ASA represented 400,000 US farmers with operations in 86 countries. He also served as Chair of the Georgia State Farm Service Agency (ASCS) state committee from 1992 to 2001. These were very tumultuous times with the "squash" scandals and other assaults on the financial viability of program crops. James gave the Luther Pickerel Lectures – University of Minnesota on International Trade Issues in 1989. And he also was instrumental in leading the University of Georgia to institute genetic engineering in seed.

James was a member of Leadership Georgia Class of 1986 and at times on the Board of Trustees of ABAC and the University of Georgia Research Foundation.

James was twice named "Farmer of the Year" in Georgia, in 1992 and 2000. He was chosen as Lancaster/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year in 2000, the first farmer from Georgia to be honored.

In the early 1970s James was president of Camilla Rotary when the club won the top award for clubs with more than 50 members in District 690 (all of Georgia). James taught Sunday School at Camilla First Baptist Church and Camilla United Methodist Church for over 50 years and was chairman of Deacons at the Baptist Church and Chairman of the Board at the Methodist Church. He was twice president of Camilla Chamber of Commerce and founder of Westwood Schools and served on her Board of Directors for 29 years, including terms as chairman. In 2021 the Georgia Pecan Growers Association honored James with the Jack Thompson award. He was Citizen of the Year in Camilla in 1989.

James was blessed by God in so many ways. He enjoyed traveling on business and for pleasure and education and with family and friends. During his life he was privileged to see all fifty states and over ninety-two countries.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.

Visitation will be from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Thursday, October 2 at Parker-Bramlett Funeral Home in Camilla.

Memorials may be made to Camilla United Methodist Church, PO Box 192, Camilla, GA 31730, Westwood Schools, PO Box 528, Camilla, GA 31730 and Stitches for Mitchell County, 4380 Puppy Lane, Camilla, GA 31730.

Parker-Bramlett Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

To sign the online guest registry, visit our website at www.parkerbramlett.com.