John Wayne Adams

John Wayne Adams went to be with his Lord and Savior on October 13th, 2023 in Gilbert, AZ.
John was born on October 8th, 1938 in Winston-Salem, Forsyth, NC. In 1957 he graduated with
honors from Griffith High School, NC then enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. That same
year, he joined the United States Air Force. With exceptional skills and dedication he attained the
rank of MSgt as an Aerospace Warning Systems and Control Superintendent and ADCOM
Primary Identification Officer for the 26th NORAD Region. He took pride defending his country
at all times and excelled in his assigned duties. He was stationed in Germany and Thailand. He
earned the Korean Defense Service ribbon, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, Bronze
Star-10LC, Airman's Medal to name a few.

After retiring from the USAF in 1979, He and his family moved to Phoenix, Arizona. Following his
distinctive service in the USAF he worked as a superintendent for the Pendergast/Creighton
school districts and ASU. His outlook on life was if he was there, it was his and everyone loved
him for that.

John was a member of American Legion Post 44 and Payson Post 69. He was trilingual and
found it easy to converse with others at anytime.  His legacy is a reminder of the importance of service, sacrifice and the profound impact an individual can leave on the lives of others.

Survived by his brother Earl Franklin Adams Sr. (Brenda) Highpoint, NC, cousin Jesse Adams Jr.
(Jane) Winston-Salem, NC, and the lights of his life, daughter Kristi Myer (husband John) and six
grandchildren; Michael and Heather Ehrhardt, Brandon Gentile, Karli Plooster (husband Logan), Gracie
Lynch (husband Sam), Chase Gentile (fiancée Michelle) and two great-grandchildren, Myla and Braydon
Ehrhardt.

To honor his dedication and commitment to our country, a memorial service will be held at the
VA National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, AZ, on Thursday, October 26th, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.  In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Wounded Warriors Project.