Charles Franklin Adams, Jr., 91, of Falmouth and Ocean Point, died on Feb. 18.
Charles was born in Trenton, N.J. on April 18, 1917, the son of Charles F. Adams, Sr. and May Robinson Adams. He attended Mercersburg Academy and was graduated from Trenton High School in 1936. Charles then went on to Lafayette College where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. He always had a sense of adventure and during the summer of 1938, he worked on an oil pipeline in Columbia, South America. While in Columbia, he adopted an orphaned leopard cub and brought her back to Lafayette, where she lived in his fraternity house and was the college mascot. Charles graduated from Lafayette in 1940.
Charles married Jeanne Bloor Adams on Jan. 31, 1942. They were married for 65 years prior to her death in 2007.
Charles served in the First Marine Division in the South Pacific from 1942-1945. He fought at Guadalcanal and New Guinea. He was awarded a Purple Heart following the battle at Guadalcanal.
Charles and Jeanne moved their family to Maine in 1949; living first in South Jefferson and then in Damariscotta for many years. During his years in Damariscotta, Charles owned Adams Realty and the Adams Travel Agency. He was active in many community activities, including the American Field Service, as a trustee of the Skidompha Library and Miles Memorial Hospital and served as a Warden at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Charles’s parents first brought him to Ocean Point in 1919 and except for the war years, he and Jeanne spent all of their summers at Ocean Point.
Charles was an avid reader and collected early Maine imprints and first editions by Maine authors and poets. He was also known as a great storyteller and had a keen memory for details. Charles was an enthusiastic collector of many things and in his later years enjoyed collecting for his children and grandchildren.
Charles was predeceased by his wife Jeanne; and his brother, Edgar M. Adams.
He is survived by his four children, Barbara Adams Fowler of South Portland and spouse Dr. Nicholas Fowler, Dr. Charles Adams, III of Cumberland Foreside and spouse Marjorie Adams, Phoebe Adams McKay of Buffalo, N.Y. and spouse Rev. M. Bruce McKay, and Holly Adams Jose of Boothbay and spouse Anthony Jose; eleven grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.
Memorial service will be held at Ocean Point early this summer.
If desired, memorial contributions may be made to the Skidompha Library, 124 Main St., Damariscotta, ME 04543 or the Boothbay Memorial Library, 4 Oak St., Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.ctcrawford.com.
Arrangements respectfully handled by Conroy-Tully Crawford Funeral Home, 172 State St., Portland.
