Willliam Kenneth Adams

Bill Adams, of Harrisonburg, died Friday September 23, 2016 at the Winchester Medical Center. Born in Baltimore, MD. He was the son of the late William Nathan and Rose Ruhl Adams and proud step-son of the late Police Chief Harry Edwin Schultheis.

He attended schools in Baltimore, graduating from Dundalk High School and later attending the University of Maryland. He was a proud Navy veteran, serving his country for 5 years during the Korean War era.

In his youth he was an avid baseball player and through the years played with various church teams. Being a short-stop, he was known as “Scooter” because of his amazing ability to move very quickly in any direction.

He worked for the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Sparrows Point, MD plant, in various administrative positions, before retiring after nearly 40 years of dedicated service.

He married the former Jean Elizabeth Heflin in 1951. They were married for 32 years until her passing in 1983. In 1992 he married Karen Sue Murphy (nee Davis) who survives him. He and Sue moved to the Shenandoah Valley in 1997 in order to be closer to her family.

He was a dedicated Christian, always looking for ways to help anyone crossing his path. Through the years he faithfully served Hazelwood Baptist Church in Baltimore as a long time treasurer, deacon and visitor to those unable to attend church as well as sitting by the bedside of many terminally ill church members. He and his wife Sue were a team in his “visiting ministry”. Here in the Valley, he attended West Side Baptist Church. His goal in life was to be faithful to his God and to be known as a man of integrity.

Always a passionate gardener, he served any church he attended as a volunteer grounds keeper. He loved working in his yard. Folks would frequently pull into the driveway chatting and asking questions about his landscaping, flowers, trees and shrubs. He also tended to his vegetable gardens and greatly enjoyed giving away the “fruits of his labor’. Friends referred to him, not as a gardener but as “The Manicurist” because of his devotion to beautifying his little bit of God’s green earth.

He is survived by 3 sons, Scott and Kenneth, both of Baltimore, and Stacey, of Atlanta; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and one nephew.

Because of his great love of animals, memorial gifts may be made to the Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA, P.O. Box 413, Harrisonburg, VA 22803.

In addition to his wife, he leaves behind his faithful, beloved canine buddy, “Blakie”. They were inseparable and went everywhere together. His wife often jokes that Blakie knows more folks in the “burg” than she does.

Friends and family are welcome to visit the home at 1230 Massanetta Springs Rd at any time.

There will a private graveside service in Baltimore on Saturday, October 1, 2016. Lindsey Funeral Home in Harrisonburg is handling arrangements.

Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.lindseyharrisonburg.com.