Avon Daine Adams

A Celebration of Life service will be Saturday, June 14 10:00 AM at Court Drive Church, 1434 Court Drive Palestine, TX. A private family graveside service for Avon will be held Saturday afternoon PM at Cathedral In The Pines Cemetery, Tyler.

Avon Daine Cannon Adams was born on September 12, 1943 at Fort Hood, Texas. She was the youngest child of Lena Walts Cannon and Jason Elton Cannon.

Avon attended school in Killeen, Texas throughout her 12 years of school, graduating in 1962. Rather than going to college, Avon got a very good paying job at Mid-Texas Telephone Company in Killeen as a switchboard operator.

It is kind of funny when talking about Avon and Dick meeting and eventually getting married. Dick was invited to go to church with a young lady he met when registering for school in Killeen following Dick’s family moving from Grand Prairie, Texas to Killeen. She invited him to go to church the next Sunday at the Killeen Church of Christ. He did go to church with her and met several girls. Shortly afterward he began dating a girl he met at church. She went to the Church of Christ. Not too long after that Avon was speaking to this young lady, a very good friend of hers. Avon jokingly told the young lady, “If Dick was a little older I would take him away from you.” Avon was 2 years older than Dick. Some time afterward this girl, whom Dick was dating, went away to go to college. At about the same time, Avon’s boyfriend, who was in the Army, was transferred from Killeen to Germany. I wasn’t too long after that the Avon and Dick started going to the Dairy Queen for a Coke. They would play miniature golf and just spend time together. This was just friendship, not romance. That being said, this friendship grew until Dick asked her to marry him and she said “yes”.

Avon and Dick married on November 20, 1964 and were married 60 years and 7 months. This marriage produced four children. When Dick turned 21 he went to work at the Sheriff’s Department in Dallas so they moved to Irving, where they lived most of their married life.

Avon loved children. It is hard to believe that she taught the “Cradle Roll Class” at church for 55 years. She loved the small children ages birth to 18 months.

Primarily due to her love for children, Avon and Dick had 18 foster children when they were young adults. This was a very enjoyable time in their life.

Avon was a Blue Bird leader. She coached an under age 6 girls soccer team. Her love for children followed her into her new job, being a para-professional teaching autistic children. She did this for 15 years until she retired.

Avon and Dick moved from Irving where they lived for 31 years to Tyler and then Palestine, Texas. Wherever they moved they found a church home in the new city and Avon became very involved in doing Christian work at the churches.

Unfortunately, Avon was plagued with health problems throughout the past 27 years, having many surgeries. She had 3 knee replacements which caused her to have difficulty walking and she fell frequently. It was this problem that led to the recent illnesses. Falling 2 weeks ago led to her entering the hospital and ultimately, to her death on June 8.

Avon loved the Lord. Avon loved her husband and children. She loved all children.

Avon was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Donald and James, and sister, Sue Zak. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Richard Adams, her son, Allan Adams, wife Sandra, Burleson, Texas; daughters Stacie Adams VanBuskirk, husband Mark, Eustace, Texas; Karla Adams Willmeth, husband Kevin, Granbury, Texas; and Susan Adams McGriff, husband Carlos, Montalba, Texas. Grandchildren Cannon Bennett, Eloy Salgado, Alyson Hull, Cutter Willmeth, Brady Willmeth and Camryn McGriff. She and Dick also have 5 great-grandchildren.