Milton "Red" John Adams

Milton John “Red” Adams, of De Tour Village, Michigan, went home to be with the Lord on June 21, 2026. He was surrounded by his family at the time of his passing. Red was born on January 2, 1951, in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, to Herbert E. “Bill” Adams and Marjorie H. (Olmstead) Adams.

Red grew up in De Tour Village, Michigan, graduating from DeTour High School with the class of 1969. On December 11, 1971, he married his high school sweetheart, and love of his life, Linda Bender. After high school, he began doing various jobs, his favorite of which was the excitement of working on the lake freighter, the J.L. Rice, with his brother Bill. Needing a steady job that allowed him to be a family man, he was hired by EUPTA in 1972 and spent the next 34 years working for the Drummond Island Ferry.

Along the way, he spent 45 years on the DeTour Fire Department, 39 of them as the Fire Chief. He spent 17 years on the DeTour Village Council, eight years on the DeTour School Board, and coached football at DeTour High School for 15 years. Red owned a propane business, and the DeTour Bike Shop which had never closed. He was also certified to teach specialized training to firemen around the state, and lots of other undertakings.

Around the age of 25, during a midnight shift on Drummond Island Ferry, he read a book by Rev. Hal Lindsey called, "The Late Great Planet Earth." At the end of that book, he gave heart to Jesus, and he spent the rest of his life serving the Lord God Almighty in every way possible. From setting up chairs and making popcorn at their first church, to spending the last 25 years of his life as the Head Pastor of Wilderness Tabernacle Church in DeTour. Generations of families have been changed because of Red’s passion for people to come to Jesus. His life was the beginning of a legacy that propels his family to live out their Christian faith with boldness and a desire for others to know the God they love and trust so well.

In recent years, he loved going fishing with his brother, Bill, going to auctions with Linda, golfing with his son, Josh, and spending time with his kids and grandkids down state. Red and Linda had wonderful adventures together, including traveling to all 50 states. Red and Linda also went camping with their kids, their families, and his extended family for 45 years consecutively, around the Fourth of July. He lived a very full life in his 75 years on this earth.

Red loved his family unconditionally. Linda was his favorite person on earth. He was a dedicated husband with unwavering love for his wife. No father worked harder, or spent more time with his kids than Red did, and his grandkids were his pride and joy!

Red is survived by his wife of 54 years, Linda; children Sarah (Tim) VanOudheusden of Cutlerville, MI, Joshua Adams of DeTour, Mark (Kristin) Adams of Ravenna, MI, Christie (Aaron) Schwartz of Hudsonville, MI, Abby (Tom) Kennedy of Grand Rapids, MI; mother-in-law, Dolores Bender of Sault Ste. Marie; siblings Bill (Jeanne) Adams of Tooele, UT, Nancy (Bill) Cline of Sault Ste. Marie, MI, Francis (Pat) Danes Taylor, MI. He also had nine grandchildren Maclain and Addison Adams, Jase and Crew VanOudhuesden, Cecilia and Reagan Schwartz, Evelyn, Elias, and Emmett Kennedy.

Red was preceded in death by his parents Herbert and Marjorie Adams; son, Milton John Adams Jr.; and sister and brother-in-law, Eugene and Mary Wagner.

A service will be held in his honor 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 3, 2026 at Wilderness Tabernacle Church, 1670 E. North Caribou Lake Rd., De Tour Village, MI 49725, with a luncheon immediately following. A private family burial will take place at Maple Grove Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Wilderness Tabernacle Church in Red’s name: P.O. Box 6, DeTour Village, MI 49725. Any gift given will promptly go to promoting and sharing the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. What Red wanted most was to make Heaven crowded.

The family welcomes memories and messages at www.cookcaresgrandville.com in their guestbook online.