Mr. Adams

I love this picture of Mr. Adams and his great-granddaughter Anniston.  I've been doing a lot of thinking about Mr. Adams and our (mine and Phil's) connection to him over the years.

When we first arrived in Dunlap and started teaching Mr. and Mrs Adams were among our first friends.  Mrs. Adams taught 8th grade English and Phil taught 7th grade English.  She was so helpful in making his first year of teaching a success.  It was through her that we got connected up with the rest of her family.

Mr. Adams became a great friend and mentor to Phil because Phil was interested in so many of the things Mr. Adams knew so much about.  Phil learned so much about hunting by spending time with Carl.  They hunted all over the county... hunting quail, doves, crows and grouse.  Mr. Adams also helped Phil get his own much loved bird dog, Pearl.  In later years, Mr. Adams was the number one salesman for Phil's honey.

My first year of teaching was miserable.  I was teaching 7th and 8th grade reading and struggling every day, often coming home crying.  I spent many an afternoon with the Adams family trying to get over the trauma.  There was always a place at their table for us if we needed it, and we often shared meals with them.

Phil told me that Mr. Adams was one of the most encouraging people he has ever known.  In the last few years, Mr. Adams often told Phil how proud he was of him, and how glad he was that Phil had come to Dunlap.

When we attended the funeral Sunday, we were both struck by the number of people who had the same story as us.  Mr. Adams reached out to people over and over throughout the course of his life, and left his mark on them.  He enriched their lives and made them better people.  What a great legacy!