Holly Sue Adams

Holly Sue (Fuss) Adams, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, sister-in-law, cousin and friend, passed away peacefully after a long and courageous battle with cancer on October 1, 2026. She was 68 years old.

Holly was born at the old St. Elizabeth’s Hospital on 13th and South Street on September 8, 1958 to Rueben and Ruth (Kastead) Fuss. She was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in rural Lancaster County, Nebraska. She grew up west of Lincoln with her two loving sisters, Cindy and Bonnie. First on an acreage southwest of Burlington Ave (south of SW 18th and “O” street). In January 1963, her family moved to an 80-acre farm ¼ mile west of Emerald. It was paradise with two large orchards, cattle, horses, chickens, hogs, sheep, cats and dogs. It didn’t take long to whittle down to just cattle, horses, cats and dogs. Holly attended kindergarten through 6th grade at District 5, a two room school in Emerald. She was the only student in her grade most of 3rd grade, which she didn’t like. She started 7th grade at Malcolm Public Schools and later graduated from Malcolm High School in 1976 with 19 students and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Throughout her life she was active in many different activities and organizations, including Girl Scouts of America, Horse 4-H Trail - Blazers Club, National Emergency, Medical Tech for the Malcolm Volunteer Fire Department, and Auxiliary Club and as a Sunday School teacher at Zion Lutheran Church.

She married Larry Minzel on November 5, 1977 and was blessed with two beautiful children, Natalie (Minzel) Sehi and Nicholas Minzel. They later divorced in January 1991. She married James Adams on February 18, 1994 in Las Vegas, Nevada. With this union, she was blessed with four children, Jimmy Adams, Missy (Adams) Ashmore, Katie Adams, and Jill Adams whom she loved unconditionally.

Her greatest joys were being a mother! In her words, it was, “the sweetest, most wonderful name ever”! Being called “Grandma” was a close second! Her other joys were being told, “you are loved” and having the freedom to worship our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

She also enjoyed showing horses and dogs. Throughout her years in 4-H, showing horses, and later as an adult, showing dogs, she earned numerous awards and accolades. Her love to grow and nurture things showed in her green thumb. She always had a wonderful garden and enjoyed sharing what she grew and preserving much of it too. In her eyes, watching things grow was magical. She enjoyed and encouraged others to see God’s beauty everywhere. Attending and watching her kids and grandkids events and activities also brought her great pleasure. She considered it such a blessing to be able to spend quality time with her grandchildren. She so enjoyed being a part of her loved ones lives, especially her grandkids who hold a special place in her heart. Two additional passions of hers were genealogy and quilting. She has quite the collection of family history and records that she has asked not be forgotten. And she is thankful for her wonderful friends and quilting group, The Ol’ Sew and Sews in Greers Ferry for helping her to create beautiful quilts. Holly enjoyed the outdoors, hunting, fishing, boating and RVing. Following Jim’s hobby, she naturally developed a huge group of friends all over the nation that became her skeet family. Her hunting friends knew her as “Lego”, her CB radio name.

Holly was always a hard worker. If you asked, she would attribute that to the work ethic of her father, Rueben Fuss. While in high school, she worked as a cashier and in the meat department at Joe’s IGA Grocery on NW 19th and “O” Street, Lincoln, NE. In 1977, she started working at Village Inn Nursing Home, while also working for Fuss & Roggenkamp Refuse Service. She later worked at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Housing, followed by 14 years at one of her true loves, caring for people as a paramedic at Eastern & Rural Metro Ambulance Service. Following her career with the ambulance service, she studied to become a realtor with Woods Bros Realty, as well as four years at Wyuka Funeral Home. On the side, she also taught EMT and defibrator classes at Southeast Community College, MED INC, and to many of the volunteer fire department squads in central and southeast Nebraska.

Holly is survived by her husband, Jim Adams of Greers Ferry, AR; daughter Natalie and David Sehi of Lincoln, NE and family, Ashlynn, Camry, Shyann, and Braxton; son Nick Minzel of Omaha, NE and family, Parker and Brody; son Jimmy and Melissa Adams of Wheeling, WV and daughter, Libby; daughter Missy and Paul Ashmore and family, Samantha and Ben; daughter Katie Adams of Omaha, NE and daughters Madelyn and Eva; daughter Jill Adams of Lee’s Summit, MO and daughter, Zoe; sister Cindy and Bruce Roggenkamp of Lincoln, NE; sister Bonnie Fuss of Hallam, NE and son, Austin Sanders of Temple, TX; cousins, and beloved dog, Josie.

Holly was preceded in death by her parents, in-laws, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

In keeping with her final wishes, no formal funeral service will be held. Instead, her desire was for a private celebration of life with her family and close friends.

In lieu of flowers and memorial donations, please do something in her honor to celebrate her and your family, as that is what she would want most. She cared so deeply for others.