Eugene "Gene" A. Adams

Gene Adams passed away on May 7, 2023, at the age of 89 in Alexandria, VA. He will always be remembered as a loving father, grandfather, brother and friend to everyone who knew and loved him. He was preceded in death by Vincent Mercanti.

Gene was born on October 5, 1933, in Philadelphia. He was the son of Charles Adams and Lena (Fedale) Adams. He graduated from Frankford High School in Philadelphia and soon joined the Army. He fought the Cold War in one of the coldest places – a remote outpost in Fairbanks Alaska. Breaking the Army rule of “never volunteer,” he raised his hand when asked who could type. He was made the company clerk, which helped him avoid some, but not all, of the difficult duty in the rugged Alaska terrain.

After Army service, Gene returned to Philadelphia and attended Drexel University on the GI bill. He met his future wife, Elaine (Frischling) Adams, and graduated with a degree in business management. They married, and moved to San Francisco, driving across the country with all of their belongings in a VW Beetle. After living the early ‘60s in San Francisco, his career brought him back to the Philadelphia area to work, fittingly enough, for Volkswagen of America. Gene spent more than 30 years at VW, climbing the corporate ladder to become a regional manager in charge of VW dealerships in 3 mid-Atlantic states.

Gene was a kind man, who always has a smile for everybody. But, he also had a twinkle in his eye and a wicked sense of humor. He made friends easily, and always enjoyed a good party. He loved the theatre – big production musicals to be more precise – and saw countless shows on Broadway. He had a passion for movies and television, and his trivia knowledge of old movies was unparalleled. He also had a good voice, always game for a singalong at the piano.

Gene loved to travel – Puerto Rico, Italy, Greece, Spain, Morocco, England, Germany, Canada, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela are just a few of the places he visited.

Gene always loved the beach (“the shore,” for those from Philly), and upon retirement he moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he had vacationed for decades. Retirement didn’t stop his travel, though. He continued to see friends, family, and the world … the Disney Cruise he took his grandkids on – at the age of 80 - has become the stuff of family legend. One small example: the man who could barely swim went snorkeling in a shipwreck with his kids. Did we mention he was 80?

Survivors include his sons Doug Adams of Arlington, Virginia, and James Adams of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; sisters Carolyn Rosenthal of Margate, New Jersey, and Loretta Steinberg of Naples, Florida; daughter-in-law Linda Blauhut, and two grandchildren, Benjamin Adams and Elizabeth Adams.

A graveside service for Gene was held Tuesday, May 16, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery (1600 Sproul Rd., Springfield, PA).

A Celebration of Life will be held at 6:00 PM on Fri. June 9, 2023 at Murphy Funeral Home (4510 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA). After the service, all are invited to join in cocktail party to celebrate Gene’s memory at Ms. Peacock’s Lounge (929 N. Garfield St. Arlington, VA).

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his memory to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. https://curealz.org/

Fond memories, expressions of sympathy and photos may be shared below at www.murphy-funeralhomes.com for the Adams family.