John William Adams

John, age 90, was born in Galloway, MO on September 14, 1923. The eldest child and only son of Eli J. Adams and Dora Tunnell Adams, he passed away on March 9, 2014. John is survived by Albina, his loving wife of 68 years; sisters, Della Waymack and Imogene Neff of Ozark, MO, and Wanda (Ross) Graves of Green Valley AZ; his sons, Philip (Peggie) of Galena, MO, Marshall of Albuquerque, NM, and Victor of Plano, TX; his grandchildren, Angela (Jerry) Martilik of Dallas, TX, Veronica Adams of Plano, TX, and John V. Adams of Stillwater, OK; great-grandchildren, Steele and Violet Martilik of Dallas TX; and extended family members, Diane Adams of Plano, TX and Kelly Strickland of Albuquerque, NM. John served four years with the Army Air Force during World War II, worked two years as a streetcar motorman on Chicago's old red streetcars, and studied at the University of Chicago for three years. In 1952, he signed on the Southwestern Greyhound as a bus driver, beginning a 33 year transportation career. After seven years as a driver, he was promoted. He lived in six different cities, and eight different homes, serving Greyhound in eight different supervisory positions before retiring as District Manager in Dallas, TX in 1985. Despite his many years in management, his real passion was as bus driver for the Company as detailed in a book he authored and published in 2001; "A Million Miles or More". John was a self-taught musician who loved bluegrass music and his five string banjo. He also played the clarinet, accordion, harmonica, tuba, guitar, and mandolin. His family and neighbors enjoyed the many jam sessions he played with the family in the den and backyard of their home of 44 years in Plano, TX. In 2012, John and Albina moved to Albuquerque for the weather, the scenery, and to be closer to their middle son who had retired there a year earlier. John, Billy, brother, Dad, Papa, Super Papa will be greatly missed by his family and friends. We will miss hearing your stories. Rest in Peace. We love you.