Kenneth Vernon Adams

KENNETH VERNON ADAMS December 21, 1923 ~ December 22, 2013 Kenneth V. Adams was born in Belleville, IL on December 21, 1923 and passed away in Mesquite, TX on December 22, 2013. He is survived by his wife, LeFurne Adams, four daughters, Judy Moreland, Jan Tilley and husband Jerry, Jennifer Adams and husband Jeff, Jill Douglas and husband Paul, and three stepdaughters, Mary McDonald and husband Larry, Gayla Anderson and husband Charles, and Brenda Vaughan and husband Tommy. He leaves behind 18 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren. Mr. Adams was only 17 when he joined the Navy, and was on the Henley, a destroyer docked in Pearl Harbor when they were bombed on December 7, 1941. Hearing the battle cry bells, he fought the first 7 hours of the war in his shower shoes and a towel. His fleet fought in the South Pacific during the war, and the Henley was among the ships which took the Marines to Guadalcanal. The Henley was sunk in the Solomon Islands and he was reassigned to the Ross. On leave in 1943, he married his sweetheart, Doris Lamar, and she followed him to California, where they lived until the war ended, and they returned to Dallas. They started a family and bore four daughters before Doris succumbed to cancer in 1976. They had been married for 32 years. Kenneth was blessed with finding and marrying his second great love, LeFurne, who brought another three daughters of her own into the family. They were married 34 years at the time of Kenneth's death. A master salesman, Kenneth worked for many top companies in his decades in sales, among them, U.S. Rubber, Johnson Wax, and Holt Floor Machines, later becoming a postman for the U.S. Post Office. His greatest love was his job as an over the road trucker for FFE, which gave him the satisfaction of traveling the country, although he missed being at home with his family. Kenneth was a very active member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association and was proud of his patriotism for his great country. He remained actively in contact with his elected officials and was open with his political views and advice. He was a true Patriot in every sense of the word. Our loved one was a man of many talents who made friends easily and was always the first in line to help others. He could wire a house, fix the plumbing, repair the car, sew a dress and make a gourmet meal with beautiful presentation. He was an avid fisherman and loved camping out, especially in the mountains. He also loved to regale everyone with his many tales and experiences. He lived his life as the song title says, "I Did it My Way!" He will truly be missed by all of his family and friends.