Donald N. Adams, 74, passed away on February 28 at Forsyth Hospital following complications from surgery. Don was born on December 22, 1936 in Bogalusa, Louisiana. He was preceded in death by his parents Zula and Sherwood Adams of Louisiana and by a son Donald of Winston-Salem.
Don was a family man. He loved having his extended family gather for holidays or dinner parties. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather and is survived by his wife Michael; daughter Tracy and her husband John DeBenedictis of Winston-Salem; daughter Melea and her husband Rob Kreshok of Denver, Colorado; and grandchildren Neil King and his wife Julie of New York, Fielding King of Winston-Salem, Jordan Kreshok of Denver, Colorado. Troy Bernhagen of Germanton, NC.
Don attended high school in Louisiana and graduated from Louisiana College. He began his career in advertising in Nashville and then in Raleigh. In the early 1970’s Don joined long Haymes and Carr Advertising in Winston-Salem and became CEO in 1987. He remained in that position after the company was acquired by The Interpublic Group of New York in 1991. Don retired in 1995 shortly before the merged agency became Mullen Advertising. Don’s background as an art director, then as agency executive allow the firm to create many outstanding campaigns and the agency was named the Agency of the Year twice under Don’s leadership. He was active in many community affairs and served on the advisory boards of several nonprofit and for profit organizations such as Babcock School Board of Visitors and ISP Advisory Board, and had been a member of the downtown Rotary.
After retiring, Don returned to his artistic interests and received a Masters Degree in sculpting from UNCG. He loved to paint, was an excellent woodworker, furniture builder, photographer and his sense of style and design was always evident in his work. For many years Don was an avid golfer at Forsyth Country Club and enjoyed traveling both for golf and artistic interests.
Don will be remembered by his many friends from all works of life as a caring person who always had a kind word for everyone and made a friend of all he met.
A Memorial Funeral Service, Celebrating the Life of Donald N. Adams, will be held on Saturday (3/5) 3:00 PM at the Vogler Funeral Home Reynolda Chapel, A Dignity Memorial Provider, 2951 Reynolda Road (336-772-6106). Family and friends will visit at the funeral home from 1:00 PM until service time.
Family prefers no flowers and suggest memorial contributions to AIDS Care Services, P.O. Box 21373, Winston-Salem, NC 27120 (336-777-0116).
Online condolences to frankvoglerandsons.com.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18