Aberdeen - Mass of Christian Burial for Richard J. "Dick" Adams, 77, of Aberdeen will be 1 p.m. Saturday, May 13, 2006, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Aberdeen. Father Gregory Tschakert will be officiating. Burial will follow at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery with military rites by the Sidney L. Smith American Legion Post #24 of Aberdeen. Schriver's Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, Aberdeen is in charge of arrangements. Liturgical wake service and rosary 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 12, 2006, at the mortuary. Visitation is 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the mortuary and one hour prior to the funeral mass Saturday at the church. Dick passed away Wednesday, May 10, 2006, at Avera St. Luke's Hospital, Aberdeen. Richard J. Adams was born Feb. 19, 1929, to Kenneth E. and Ann (Sautner) Adams at Gettysburg, S.D. At the age of 14, he moved with his family to Aberdeen, where he graduated from Aberdeen Central High School in 1947. Dick entered the U.S. Army in February of 1951 and served in the Korean War. He had a total of 32 years of military service, including active duty and reserve duty status. Dick married Mary Lou Brown on June 24, 1953, at Aberdeen and continued to make Aberdeen their life long home. Dick was employed with Northern Electric Company for 38 years before retiring. Dick enjoyed all sporting events both locally and nationally. He was an avid softball player and was active with City Softball League for 53 years. He was inducted into the South Dakota Softball Hall of Fame and the Aberdeen Softball Hall of Honor. He was also an avid bowler and was active in the Elks and Jaycee Bowling leagues. He was also inducted into the South Dakota Bowling Hall of Fame. Dick was a member of the ASA, American Legion, VFW and the Aberdeen Elks Lodge. Dick enjoyed hunting and his whole life was his love of his family. Dick loved to decorate at all the different holidays for all the little kids. Surviving Dick are his wife, Mary Lou of Aberdeen; two daughters, Laurie Knott of Aberdeen and Rebecca M. (Kevin) O'Connor of Phoenix, Ariz.; three grandchildren, Troy Adams of Kenai, Alaska, Katherine Adams of Aberdeen, and Nicole Knott of Aberdeen; two great-grandsons, Oliver Adams of Kenai, Alaska, and Merrick Bogart of Aberdeen; two sisters, Bette Flattum of Michigan City, Ind., and Mary Jo (Tom) Kazmucha of Indianapolis, Ind.; and one brother, Charles (Jackie) Adams of Traverse City, Mich. Dick was preceded in death by his parents, one brother and his son, Rick, in 1975. Pallbearers will be Doug Riley, Jeff Brown, Billy Brown, Terry James, Bob Gunderson and Dan Grewe. Honorary pallbearers will be all of his softball friends from all over the state, his bowling league buddies and his Army Reserve friends. The family prefers memorials in lieu of flowers.
Published in the Aberdeen News on 5/12/2006.