Donald Kenneth Adams

Donald K. Adams was born in Washington D.C. to Lt. Col. James Joseph Adams and Adele Adams on July 8, 1939. Due to being in a military family, he spent his childhood and adolescence in various places and attended schools in Greenville, South Carolina, Springfield, Massachusetts, Honolulu, Hawaii, Orleans, France and San Antonio, Texas. After graduating high school, he attended the University of Texas at Austin, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering. While attending college he met his soul mate, Billye Leanox, and they married on September 3, 1962 at The Little White Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Donald began his professional career as a process engineer in the aerospace industry before finding his niche as a research engineer in the tuna processing industry. He worked for Van Camp Sea Food Company for 20 years and continued to consult for ten more years until he retired at the age of 58. While he was active in his career, he served as president of the Pacific Fisheries Technologists, local chairman of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and president of the Institute of Food Technologists.

Donald had many hobbies including stamp and coin collecting, family ancestry, and served as the local chapter president for the UT Texas Exes Association for many years. Donald had a passion for nature and travel. He was an avid bird watcher, leading many bird walks and bird counts throughout San Diego County and California. He served as president of the San Diego Field Ornithologists and enjoyed traveling and cruising to all parts of the world to find rare birds.

Donald lived his life to the fullest and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his family. He never missed a soccer game, baseball game, dance performance, birthday, holiday, or graduation. His wife, daughters and grandkids were his pride and joy.

Donald is preceded in death by his father, Lt. Col. James Joseph Adams, his mother, Adele Adams, and his grandson, Jantz Grodzicki.

Donald is survived by his spouse, Billye Adams, his daughters, Lisa Grodzicki and Michele Feddock, his son-in laws, Chris Grozicki and David Feddock, his sisters, Rosemary Naleway and Jeanette Caldwell, and his grandchildren, Brandon Feddock, Jenna Grodzicki and Caitlyn Feddock.