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Donald William Adams Sr.

November 2, 1932 - January 1, 2017

Visitation: Wednesday, January 4th 4:00-7:00p.m. Chesmore Funeral Home of Holliston

Funeral Service: Thursday, January 5th 11:00a.m. Chesmore Funeral Home of Holliston

Burial: Following service at  Lake Grove Cemetery, Holliston

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Don, what a wonderful tribute to your Dad. I loved the video, it's true, life is lived in the moments. My heart breaks for all of you. He was an amazing, loving, hard-working,generous, funny guy and special Uncle. I feel SO BLESSED to have shared in his life - Some of my best memories are visiting with you all and being with the "Strong Man" in Holliston and East Troy. He took us on the most fabulous adventures! What a gift! He will be missed but I won't let those precious memories fade. All my love and prayers to your family. HUGS ~ Ginny XOXOXOXOXOOXXOO

Posted by Ginny Winther on January 9, 2017

Donald William Adams Born 11/2/1932 in Milwaukee Wisconsin The youngest of five Adamses; William, Shirley, Bernice, Delores and DONALD It has often been asked “what is in a name” well, I hope to answer that question and point out how that name changed often on his 84 year Journey. “Little Donnie” was the first name he had. For 5 years life was normal but then his world would change forever and his father Otto died suddenly of a mysterious illness. Tough times followed the Adamses, they lost their house, moved to a cold water flat. The “little” was dropped and As soon as DONNIE was able he rose to the occasion to help his mother and started to, what he called, “peddle papers”. I am pretty sure that’s old folk talk for delivering papers! Of course all profits went into the household expenses. Donnie went on to high school and had a tight group of guy friends instantly. Within this pack of guys his name was now changed to “DUTCH” or “THE DUTCHMAN”, presumably because of his German heritage. Some of the “grampy folklore” from those days was when playing baseball in the park he could throw the ball a “country Mile”. During the spontaneous wrestling matches that would break out with the guys periodically, supposedly, no one ever beat the “Dutchman”. His family still in economic strife, he realized he needed to get a job after school. He worked as many hours as he could late into the night at the “filling station”. ¬more old people speak for gas station !! Once again that money unselfishly went to Celia, his mother, to help with groceries. One other huge event that took place at West Allis High school in about 1948, Nancy Lee Winther entered the picture! How did they meet? His story was she “Kept chasing me around all the time” What he failed to mention was that he would sneak up behind her and snatch her winter hat! What choice did she have??? Love at first sight; blah, blah, blah. But how about the first date? According to Nancy it was supposed to be a double date, The Dutchman driving with his date in the front and Nancy and one of the gang, Dan Marion in the back seat. Turns out Nancy wanted to be with that adorable hat snatcher in the front seat!! So Nancy, ever ingenious, came up with a little white lie. She declared she got very car sick in the back seat and HAD to sit in the front seat! The nick-name “The Dutchman” soon gave way to “Sweetie” Then the story takes a 3,383 mile turn (I had to Google that) Uncle Sam tapped sweetie on the shoulder and he was drafted at the end of the Korean Conflict. He ended up in of all places in Fairbanks Alaska, with a new name on his government issued pocket “Private D Adams” He was so love sick he wrote love letters to Nancy daily and begged her to join him in Alaska. Of course there was a marriage proposal included. Why she ever agreed to go I will never know! Especially since, in preparation, he purchased a trailer on base for them live in while he finished service. He was so proud of it he sketched the floor plan on paper and sent it to his bride to be. She wrote back “looks good but you forgot the bathroom” He replied, “no I didn’t it is a short walk to the community bath house”. There must have been a true bond there because I can’t imagine telling my wife-to-be this: “All you need to do when you need to pee at 3 in the morning when it is 30 degrees below zero is put on boots and a parka, gloves and walk down the cold dark street to the community bath house!” So in May of 1956 Private First Class D Adams took on the name or title of “husband” which he proudly and dutifully had for 60 years. They were married on base the day she arrived. Now this is a bit of conjecture on my part but given the absence of television, short days and long nights in Fairbanks Alaska in 1956 there wasn’t a whole lot to do………so not that I have done the math, but 9 months and 2 days later yours truly increased the population of Fairbanks by one. Now the name “Daddy” was added to his list. So declining a re-up for another two years he was honorably discharged, sold the trailer, loaded up his new wife, a two month old, an Alaskan Husky named Cheena, and all his worldly possessions in the Pontiac and drove the 3,383 miles down the partially paved, partially dirt Alcan highway back to Milwaukee. More folklore: I slept between them on the front bench seat, and my bottle was heated up on the windshield defroster! His career path was set when he entered a heavy equipment apprenticeship with Harnishfager Corporation. Soon after he was offered his first job in the field, one catch, all he had to do was move to Massachusetts, but told Nancy not to worry it “was only for one year”, they never went back! Life was good for the first stop in Framingham, although the house was rented. He was “daddy” again with Robert Lee his second son. But what he really wanted is his own house, a “home” for his family, something he never had as a child. Northway street in Holliston was the place, a great choice I must say. Life continued to be good at work and at Home. Denise Marie popped in at a very good time! He added a pool and worked on that yard, and worked on it more. It became a thing of beauty and he was exceptionally proud. I am sure he never considered it work cause he loved it so much. I learned so much from him without ever knowing it. I never knew there was such a thing as a “repair man” because when something broke, He took it apart studied it, figured out the problem, got the part, replaced it and it was back in service! Not saying I didn’t also learn a few curse words during the project! Having not done something before never got in his way. He built the picnic tables we used by the pool, Assembled a 20 x 40 shed in our back yard made from discarded huge aluminum sign. When the house he owned next door needed a new asphalt roof, he and I installed a new one! That is also where I learned I had a fear of heights! And then there are the “sayings” far too many to talk about all of them today. My mother and I are planning a book with the complete list! Look for it on Amazon.com. But to name a few: “Dad where are my sneakers?---THEY ARE HANGING ON MY BACK! OR “Where did you go after you shaved today?” “Remember there are a lot of things that I can do that you can’t even THINK of doing”. Here is one that was usually directed at me “I teach you everything I know and yet you know NOTHING”. And god forbid you started to touch something you were not supposed to touch, he would bellow “finga-the-phone”. And no I don’t know what the heck it means, but it sure kept me from touching it! Although I never saw him cook in the kitchen, he was a master on the outdoor barbacue grill, He did have one indoor cooking skill, however. On weekends the waffle iron appeared, for his amazing waffles. Always perfect, without a recipe, and sometimes topped with bananas or strawberries. I have tried to duplicate them but have not come close, Maybe when I wasn’t looking he added that huge handful of LOVE. During vacations back at the lake house in Wisconsin he was called “Uncle Don” and was by far the coolest of the uncles. He could drive the ski boat for us and take his turn waterskiing—then if the boat needed repairs he was the guy. I think it was at the lake house he got another nick name from some cousins “the strongest man in the world”, That may have been partly due to the enormous size of his hands! We got married and of course he was now a “father in law” The spouses were instantly part of the family. Case in point, Christmas Eve, his last good day, he looked at me between bites of EGG FOO YOUNG, and said “Is Kathy coming?? I said NO, and he said “Can we call her” and he did! Once Denise and I were married we gave him the next generation, and he earned the most important name “Grampy”. He absolutely loved each one of the five. Lately,when I would come to visit the first question out of his mouth was how is your gang? Well actually, that would be the second question, the first question was did you bring scratch tickets? Then he would ask about the kids or tell me a story about Holden or Julianna. The Holden stories usually started or ended with the phrase “That Holden….” Grampy was larger than life to them. In fact there is a grandchild here in this room today with a tattoo with the word “grampy” underneath an ace and jack of spades, a winner in Blackjack----I will give you a hint it is not Jessica or Juliana !! His love affair with Nancy lasted 60 years and was a bond and a marriage to admire. Recently when he needed help with the simplest daily needs she would be the first one there to help him and he always replied I love you or thank you! He fought the fight against an abominable disease with courage and never a drop of self pity. He never gave up even at the very end when he was robbed of his physical and mental capacities. Donald William Adams, Little Donnie, Don, The Dutchman, sweetie, private first class D Adams, Husband, father, father-in-law and most importantly Grampy. You left your legacy, your work ethic, your humor, your goofy sayings, and your unwavering love, we thank you and we will never forget you. And when I close my eyes this weekend and imagine what is happening in heaven, he will be making those perfect waffles for his son Robert Lee, and there will be giant Dhalias from his garden as a center piece on the table. Don Jr

Posted by Donald Adams Jr on January 5, 2017

Dear Nancy, Don and Denise, It is with a saddened heart that I write this note. Your husband/dad was a wonderful person whom I have had the honor to know for a very long time ( just about a half of century). During this time my respect and admiration for Donald only grew. He was always gentleman, and to me a very kind and gentle sole, whom I am blessed and honored to have known. Many years ago when my wife passed, a friend offered me a realization that had helped him deal with a great loss, he though it might help me. It did me! May it do the same for you. "When someone you love becomes a memory the memory becomes a treasure" With greatest respect and love, Peter .

Posted by Peter M. Amati, Jr. on January 3, 2017