Elvin Otis Adams, 80, passed away Nov. 24, 2020, at Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, after battling COVID-19. Elvin (Al) was born April 30, 1940, in Decatur, the son of Marshall and Anna (Turk) Adams-Hall.
Al grew up in Decatur until he was six years old, when they moved from the city to a farm in Paw Paw, where the family worked together farming. He attended the Lee’s Country School in Paw Paw until sixth grade, when he transferred to Paw Paw High School and graduated in 1958.
Al met the love of his life, Charlotte Stanek, when he visited with his Motycka cousins in Decatur, where Charlotte was the Motycka’s neighbor at the top of the hill. Al and Charlotte were married July 8, 1961, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Paw Paw, and made their first home in Lawrence, where their daughter, Pamela, was born in 1963. They lived in Lawrence until 1967 and then moved to Paw Paw, where their son, Mark, was born in 1968. In the mid-70s, Al purchased land in Mattawan and he built the house that they still reside in today.
Al worked at Tapper’s in Paw Paw after graduating high school; Eaton’s in Lawton; and then finally got hired at Durametallic in Kalamazoo in 1968, where he retired in 1997. After retiring, he went back to work parttime at Spartan Paperboard Company, Kalamazoo, doing maintenance and was their “fix- it” guy. He often joked about retiring from Spartan Paper once he put his 20 years in there.
Al had a passion for Fords and was great at fixing everything: cars, lawnmowers, bikes, whatever was needed, Al could fix it. He rebuilt his 1940 Ford Coupe, which was a car that he bought when he was 13, as well as a 1965 Volkswagen Bug. Al and Charlotte could often be found driving one of the old cars in local parades or just tootling around town. He loved life and he loved people and everyone loved him. He loved to tell stories and loved people to listen to them. God was the center of his life in all that he did and his life focused around his wife, kids and grandkids. He loved to polka dance and camp and was a Florida snowbird camper in the winters. He was a member of the NHRA, the Paw Paw Eagles, a Life Member of the VFW Auxiliary in Marcellus, and a member of the Moose Lodge in Crystal River, FL.
Surviving is his beloved wife, Charlotte (Stanek) Adams, Mattawan; brother, Phillip (companion Lyn Lindstrom) Adams, Kalamazoo; two children, Pamela (Todd) Sikkema, Mattawan, and Mark (Lori) Adams, Mattawan; four grandchildren, Chelsea Johnson, East Lansing, MI, Bradley Sikkema, Nolan and Aiden Adams; as well as step-grandchildren, Kari Dumont, Keegan (Danielle) Orr, Matthew Sikkema, Maxwell Sikkema, Rylee Grear, Jordyn Hagen and Darian Grear; step-great-grandchild, Roan Orr; and many other loving nieces, nephews, cousins and family friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Visitation will be Dec. 14, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Paw Paw, from 11 a.m. to noon. There will be ushers at the door to limit how many enter at once and face masks will be required. A service will follow at noon, with limited seating for immediate family, cousins, nieces and nephews and close family friends. Interment will follow the service at Almena Cemetery, Paw Paw. Due to the current health crisis, a family gathering will be planned at a later date in the summer of 2021.
Contributions may be made to The Dementia Society of America or Trinity Lutheran Church, Paw Paw.
Share a memory or sign the online tribute wall at: www.adamspawpaw.com.
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