Junior Mac D. McAdams

1922 - 2024

Junior D. McAdams

September 2, 1922 - May 5, 2024

Mac McAdams died peacefully at Wheatland Manor, Wheatland, IA, at the age of 101 years and eight months. He died in his sleep; he had been slowly failing due to natural causes. He led an exemplary and blessed life and was loved by all who were touched by his kindness and sweetness during his lifetime. Mac was a member of the disappearing Greatest Generation.

Visitation will begin at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 14, 2024, with services to follow at 1:00 p.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, 3145 31st Avenue, Rock Island, IL. Inurnment with military honors will follow in the Rock Island National Cemetery, Arsenal Island.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, Rock Island.

Mac was born September 2, 1922, in Rock Island, the son of Helen Duncan McAdam and Francis A. McAdam. He attended Rock Island High School but never graduated, opting instead to enlist in the National Guard after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941, then eventually enlisting in the Army Air Corps and deploying at age 19, to Duxford Army Air Corp Base, England, serving as an airplane mechanic and crew chief on P47 and P51 fighter planes. For his service he received the Bronze Star for the P51 flying 141 consecutive combat missions. It was at Duxford that he met Joan Mary Doddrell, an English girl who herself had been drafted into the Women's Royal Airfare and was serving as a communications specialist for the WRAAF. Joan and Mac married in London on July 21, 1943. An interesting sidenote about the name McAdams: although Mac was born a McAdam, the Army added an "s" to the end as they thought it sounded better, so Mac and Joan were married as McAdams and subsequent children and grandchildren have the "s." Mac's brother, Ben McAdams, also agreed that the name sounded better that way, and changed his name to match!

Three children were born: son Michael Duncan, who was born in London during a bombing and had to spend a few nights in a bomb shelter. Daughter Victoria Mary who was born after the war ended and Joan had arrived in the U.S., and daughter Melva Jo who came after a new U.S. home had been established. By this time, Mac was working as a machinist and shop foreman doing precision engine machining for 42 years at Moline Engine Service. He later spent several years working at Lohse Automotive, Rock Island. He then returned to Sam's Chevy Parts/Moline Engine Service where he worked part-time until the age of 97.

Mac was the ultimate Dad and Papa, always helping every one of his kids and grandkids with their cars and home projects. Although Joan would often object, Mac would spend long hours rebuilding cars with son Mike, and grandson Scott, remodeling a 100-year-old house with son-in-law Greg, travel to New Jersey to build bookshelves for Melva, rebuild a deck for granddaughter Kate, or lay a new floor for grandson Steve's pizza shop. And some of these projects were at age 80 or older!

Joan died in April 2010 after 67 years of marriage. Mac continued to live on his own and entered a new phase of life where he became a "super fan" very involved in the sports careers of his great grandchildren: Anfernee Crompton and Alannah Crompton; both of whom were three-sport athletes at Moline High School. "Papa" never missed a game, neither a home game nor an away game and became a well-known fixture at Wharton Field House. At the same time, his brother, the late Ben McAdams, a retired Moline School Superintendent, was also a fixture at the Field House, so the brothers were a popular pair. Especially when Ben would ask total strangers "which one of us is better looking?" Also, during this time in his life, Mac would accompany his daughter, Victoria, on many trips all over the Midwest as Victoria spoke to high schools about Teen Dating Violence, telling the story of her daughter/Mac's granddaughter who died to Teen Dating Violence. Without fail, the students at every high school embraced Mac as he sat in the audience and listened to the speech, cried, and hugged the teens.

In his seventies Mac reconnected with his WWII pilot, retired General Harding Zumwalt. In his nineties, after both Mac and Harding were widowed, the two would meet for "sleepover" weekends annually at Harding's house in Missouri and talk for three days about their combat missions flown in the "Superman" P47 fighter plane. Harding attributed his success and safety as a pilot to Mac's prowess in keeping the P47 running flawlessly over his 32 missions.

At age 90 Mac received his High School diploma from Rock Island High School, the oldest graduate to do so. His brother Ben arranged the honor at a special school board meeting, and close to fifty family and friends attended. This was a special honor from the school board for WWII vets who left school to serve their country.

Mac lived for almost two years with his daughter Melva and family in New Jersey when he was 98. As much as he loved Illinois, he quickly adapted to a New Jersey lifestyle. He learned to love all kinds of fish, even eating over 30 clams in one sitting! His children find this especially funny as he told us his whole life he hated fish and refused to eat it! He attended every family event and got to spend lots of time with his grandchildren, Lisa, Michael and Steven, and great-grandchildren, Michael Andrew, Kyle, Jack, Jenna, and Ryder.

Joan and Mac were members of Trinity Episcopal Church, Rock Island for over 60 years and then All Saints Episcopal Church.

He is survived by his children: Michael McAdams (Jean) of DeWitt, IA, Victoria Crompton Tetter (Greg) of Mount Dora, FL, and Melva Sterlacci (Tom) of Phillipsburg, NJ. Also surviving are grandchildren: Scott McAdams, Kevin McAdams, Katherine Crompton, Steven Tetter, Lisa Sementa, Michael Coleman, and Steven Sterlacci; great-grandchildren are Meghan McAdams, Ellie McAdams, Dylan McAdams, Harry McAdams, Lucy McAdams, Anfernee Crompton, Alannah Crompton, Addam Silvis, Aaron Silvis, Michael Coleman, Jack Coleman, Kyle Sementa, Jenna Sementa, and Ryder Sementa.

He was preceded in death by his wife Joan; his granddaughter, Jennifer Crompton; his parents, and four siblings.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Online condolences may be shared with Mac's family at www.wheelanpressly.com.