It is with deep sorrow and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Barbara Fay Adams on Jan. 27, 2023, at Oak Hill Hospital in Brooksville, FL. She passed away peacefully, in the presence of family, and moved on to Glory and the presence of God at 85 years young.
Born in 1937 to William and Alice Touchton, Barbara was the 3rd of 6 children, and grew up in Clearwater. Raised in a loving home with her siblings by her mother and commercial fisherman father, her and her siblings all attended church with their grandfather at the Salvation Army while growing up. Barbara graduated from Clearwater High School where she played the French Horn. After high school, she joined the Salvation Army, played the Alto Horn and became an officer in 1957. There Barbara met her first husband, Dr. Wilbur “Bill” Curless. They left the S.A. and relocated to Louisville, Kentucky to pursue Bill’s education. While there, Barb and Bill had a daughter, Lydia (their only child) in 1965. They would often explore the countryside, mountains, caves and rivers, taking Lydia with them wherever they went. They eventually moved back to Florida and settled down in West Palm Beach. They would often go fishing and snorkeling all over, including the Fla. Keys. Eventually, Barbara and Bill parted ways, and she later met Richard “Dick” Adams, retired Air Force and Pratt & Whitney, married him in 1986, and enjoyed the next 30 years dancing, traveling with and playing by his side.
She retired from Rinker Materials in West Palm Beach after over 20 years and went on many adventures with her husband. They settled down in Weeki Wachee, Florida and became snowbirds, staying in Minnesota or Indiana to visit Dick’s son Steven and family in the summer, and coming back to her family in Florida in the fall and winter. Wherever they went, their beloved cat would go with them.
Throughout her life, she has hiked up mountains, gone camping, became a certified scuba diver, and discovered a love of playing tennis, golf and even Bingo. Barbara loved to go on cruises and travel around the country with Dick in their airstream, as well as boating, canoeing, swimming, painting, reading and playing the organ.
But more than anything, she loved being with her husband, family and friends and joined them in whatever they had planned, whether it was to go to Disney or Universal, to see a movie, celebrate milestones of grandkids, nieces and nephews, or just sit around a table and play cards and games – Barbara loved it all.
Barbara Fay Adams is predeceased by her husband, Richard Adams (6 years ago), and her oldest sister, Shirley Marshall (1 year ago). She leaves behind many friends and a huge family who miss her: sister Gloria Coppin, brother Billy Touchton, brother Jerry (and Carol) Touchton, and sister Kathy Touchton, plus many cousins, nieces, nephews, grand and great-grand nieces and nephews, and so on, that are too many to list.
In Florida, she leaves behind her beloved daughter Lydia (with Danny) Runkle and family: grandchildren - Lucas Runkle, Marissa (with Nikko) Navarro, Hannah Runkle (in North Carolina), and Karen (with Brian) Moreno Kruse; great-grandchildren - Faith, Manner (and Melissa), Felipe, Esteban, and Josephine, and great-great granddaughter, Lillie Fae. Plus, her two fuzzball cats, Koko and Willow, guardians of her home and all its contents.
In Indiana, she leaves behind her beloved stepson Steven Adams (with Carol Manship Adams) and family: grandchildren – Stevie Jo (with Randall) Lambert, Samuel (with Kelly) Adams, Cassandra (with James) Sisco, Abigail (with Tyler) Gilpin, and Gabriel Adams; great grandchildren - Isabella, Herman, Lillian, Liam, Madeleine, Jaxton and James, and great-great granddaughter Khalilah.
The memorial service will be held at the First Baptist Church of Hernando Beach on Saturday, February 18th at 3pm, followed by a gathering of family and friends at the Camp-A-Wyle clubhouse in Weeki Wachee, Florida. Flowers may be sent to the Merritt Funeral Home, 2 South Lemon Ave., Brooksville FL 34601, by no later than 12pm that day. She will be interred next to her husband at the VA’s Florida National Cemetery in Sumter County on February 20th at 9am.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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