Rhea L. Adams, 91, of Southern Shores, NC died on Monday, September 28, 2015 in Nags Head, NC. Born in Richmond, Va. on August 11, 1924, he was the son of the late Berkley D. Adams and Beatrice S. Adams.
He spent his early childhood in Richmond and at the Red Oak Grove Farm in Charlotte County in southern Virginia, graduated from Leesburg, VA High School in 1943.
He attended VPI in Blacksburg before signing up as a Naval Aviator there, receiving his wings in Pensacola, FL at the age of 19. Ordered to flight duty for the USMC in the Philippines, he flew Douglas SBD Dauntless and Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bomber aircraft on 67 ground support combat missions before the war ended, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal for combat with 4 gold stars. Rhea graduated from UNC in Chapel Hill in June 1949 while flying in the Marine Reserves in Norfolk, VA. He served as a helicopter training pilot in the Caribbean during the Korean War.
The family lived in Edenton, NC from 1955 until 1968, where they were members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Rhea and family moved to Maitland, FL in 1968. Rhea worked in many fields during his productive life, including salesman for WPTF radio in Raleigh, Gregory Poole Caterpillar equipment salesman for 18 years, helicopter salesman for Enstrom Helicopter in Orlando, and plumbing and construction company owner in Orlando. In his spare time he continued his love of flying, and built a Roberts design 36 foot sailboat in his front yard in Maitland, sailing it to Bermuda and the Bahamas. He founded Carolina Casual Furniture of Point Harbor, NC and after 14 years, retired in 2000.
Rhea was a warrior, an aviator, a yachtsman, a builder, an entrepreneur, and a mentor, but above all he was a devoted family man. His devotion and generosity extended to the multitude of friends he made during his lifetime, and to all the companions who lovingly cared for him in his final days.
Rhea was married to Lucy Broocks Adams (deceased) for 54 years. He is survived by three sons; Rhea L. “Lanse” Adams, Jr. and his wife Susan Jasper Adams of Carrollton, VA; Albert B. Adams of Kinston, NC; and Marshall G. Adams and his wife Kelley Kingsley Adams of Orlando. He is also survived by six grandchildren, Kenneth Lee Adams and his wife Brittany Dickman Adams of Herndon, VA; Paul Nelson Adams and his wife Chelsea Butts Adams of Cary, NC; Kari Beth Rogers and her husband Dylan Rogers of Virginia Beach; Erin Jo Adams of Hawaii, and Chandler Rhea Adams and Ryleigh Broocks Adams of Orlando. Also surviving are six great-grandchildren, Genevieve Anna Adams, Jasper Lansing Adams and Clara Katherine Adams of Herndon; Adelaide Elizabeth Adams of Cary, and Piper Ann Rogers and Ripley Rhea Rogers of Virginia Beach.
A service for Rhea will take place at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Edenton on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 11 a.m.
Contributor: Beth O (49042037)
He spent his early childhood in Richmond and at the Red Oak Grove Farm in Charlotte County in southern Virginia, graduated from Leesburg, VA High School in 1943.
He attended VPI in Blacksburg before signing up as a Naval Aviator there, receiving his wings in Pensacola, FL at the age of 19. Ordered to flight duty for the USMC in the Philippines, he flew Douglas SBD Dauntless and Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bomber aircraft on 67 ground support combat missions before the war ended, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal for combat with 4 gold stars. Rhea graduated from UNC in Chapel Hill in June 1949 while flying in the Marine Reserves in Norfolk, VA. He served as a helicopter training pilot in the Caribbean during the Korean War.
The family lived in Edenton, NC from 1955 until 1968, where they were members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Rhea and family moved to Maitland, FL in 1968. Rhea worked in many fields during his productive life, including salesman for WPTF radio in Raleigh, Gregory Poole Caterpillar equipment salesman for 18 years, helicopter salesman for Enstrom Helicopter in Orlando, and plumbing and construction company owner in Orlando. In his spare time he continued his love of flying, and built a Roberts design 36 foot sailboat in his front yard in Maitland, sailing it to Bermuda and the Bahamas. He founded Carolina Casual Furniture of Point Harbor, NC and after 14 years, retired in 2000.
Rhea was a warrior, an aviator, a yachtsman, a builder, an entrepreneur, and a mentor, but above all he was a devoted family man. His devotion and generosity extended to the multitude of friends he made during his lifetime, and to all the companions who lovingly cared for him in his final days.
Rhea was married to Lucy Broocks Adams (deceased) for 54 years. He is survived by three sons; Rhea L. “Lanse” Adams, Jr. and his wife Susan Jasper Adams of Carrollton, VA; Albert B. Adams of Kinston, NC; and Marshall G. Adams and his wife Kelley Kingsley Adams of Orlando. He is also survived by six grandchildren, Kenneth Lee Adams and his wife Brittany Dickman Adams of Herndon, VA; Paul Nelson Adams and his wife Chelsea Butts Adams of Cary, NC; Kari Beth Rogers and her husband Dylan Rogers of Virginia Beach; Erin Jo Adams of Hawaii, and Chandler Rhea Adams and Ryleigh Broocks Adams of Orlando. Also surviving are six great-grandchildren, Genevieve Anna Adams, Jasper Lansing Adams and Clara Katherine Adams of Herndon; Adelaide Elizabeth Adams of Cary, and Piper Ann Rogers and Ripley Rhea Rogers of Virginia Beach.
A service for Rhea will take place at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Edenton on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 11 a.m.
Contributor: Beth O (49042037)
Rhea L. Adams, 91, of Southern Shores, NC died on Monday, September 28, 2015 in Nags Head, NC. Born in Richmond, Va. on August 11, 1924, he was the son of the late Berkley D. Adams and Beatrice S. Adams.
He spent his early childhood in Richmond and at the Red Oak Grove Farm in Charlotte County in southern Virginia, graduated from Leesburg, VA High School in 1943.
He attended VPI in Blacksburg before signing up as a Naval Aviator there, receiving his wings in Pensacola, FL at the age of 19. Ordered to flight duty for the USMC in the Philippines, he flew Douglas SBD Dauntless and Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bomber aircraft on 67 ground support combat missions before the war ended, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal for combat with 4 gold stars. Rhea graduated from UNC in Chapel Hill in June 1949 while flying in the Marine Reserves in Norfolk, VA. He served as a helicopter training pilot in the Caribbean during the Korean War.
The family lived in Edenton, NC from 1955 until 1968, where they were members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Rhea and family moved to Maitland, FL in 1968. Rhea worked in many fields during his productive life, including salesman for WPTF radio in Raleigh, Gregory Poole Caterpillar equipment salesman for 18 years, helicopter salesman for Enstrom Helicopter in Orlando, and plumbing and construction company owner in Orlando. In his spare time he continued his love of flying, and built a Roberts design 36 foot sailboat in his front yard in Maitland, sailing it to Bermuda and the Bahamas. He founded Carolina Casual Furniture of Point Harbor, NC and after 14 years, retired in 2000.
Rhea was a warrior, an aviator, a yachtsman, a builder, an entrepreneur, and a mentor, but above all he was a devoted family man. His devotion and generosity extended to the multitude of friends he made during his lifetime, and to all the companions who lovingly cared for him in his final days.
Rhea was married to Lucy Broocks Adams (deceased) for 54 years. He is survived by three sons; Rhea L. “Lanse” Adams, Jr. and his wife Susan Jasper Adams of Carrollton, VA; Albert B. Adams of Kinston, NC; and Marshall G. Adams and his wife Kelley Kingsley Adams of Orlando. He is also survived by six grandchildren, Kenneth Lee Adams and his wife Brittany Dickman Adams of Herndon, VA; Paul Nelson Adams and his wife Chelsea Butts Adams of Cary, NC; Kari Beth Rogers and her husband Dylan Rogers of Virginia Beach; Erin Jo Adams of Hawaii, and Chandler Rhea Adams and Ryleigh Broocks Adams of Orlando. Also surviving are six great-grandchildren, Genevieve Anna Adams, Jasper Lansing Adams and Clara Katherine Adams of Herndon; Adelaide Elizabeth Adams of Cary, and Piper Ann Rogers and Ripley Rhea Rogers of Virginia Beach.
A service for Rhea will take place at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Edenton on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 11 a.m.
Contributor: Beth O (49042037)
He spent his early childhood in Richmond and at the Red Oak Grove Farm in Charlotte County in southern Virginia, graduated from Leesburg, VA High School in 1943.
He attended VPI in Blacksburg before signing up as a Naval Aviator there, receiving his wings in Pensacola, FL at the age of 19. Ordered to flight duty for the USMC in the Philippines, he flew Douglas SBD Dauntless and Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bomber aircraft on 67 ground support combat missions before the war ended, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal for combat with 4 gold stars. Rhea graduated from UNC in Chapel Hill in June 1949 while flying in the Marine Reserves in Norfolk, VA. He served as a helicopter training pilot in the Caribbean during the Korean War.
The family lived in Edenton, NC from 1955 until 1968, where they were members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Rhea and family moved to Maitland, FL in 1968. Rhea worked in many fields during his productive life, including salesman for WPTF radio in Raleigh, Gregory Poole Caterpillar equipment salesman for 18 years, helicopter salesman for Enstrom Helicopter in Orlando, and plumbing and construction company owner in Orlando. In his spare time he continued his love of flying, and built a Roberts design 36 foot sailboat in his front yard in Maitland, sailing it to Bermuda and the Bahamas. He founded Carolina Casual Furniture of Point Harbor, NC and after 14 years, retired in 2000.
Rhea was a warrior, an aviator, a yachtsman, a builder, an entrepreneur, and a mentor, but above all he was a devoted family man. His devotion and generosity extended to the multitude of friends he made during his lifetime, and to all the companions who lovingly cared for him in his final days.
Rhea was married to Lucy Broocks Adams (deceased) for 54 years. He is survived by three sons; Rhea L. “Lanse” Adams, Jr. and his wife Susan Jasper Adams of Carrollton, VA; Albert B. Adams of Kinston, NC; and Marshall G. Adams and his wife Kelley Kingsley Adams of Orlando. He is also survived by six grandchildren, Kenneth Lee Adams and his wife Brittany Dickman Adams of Herndon, VA; Paul Nelson Adams and his wife Chelsea Butts Adams of Cary, NC; Kari Beth Rogers and her husband Dylan Rogers of Virginia Beach; Erin Jo Adams of Hawaii, and Chandler Rhea Adams and Ryleigh Broocks Adams of Orlando. Also surviving are six great-grandchildren, Genevieve Anna Adams, Jasper Lansing Adams and Clara Katherine Adams of Herndon; Adelaide Elizabeth Adams of Cary, and Piper Ann Rogers and Ripley Rhea Rogers of Virginia Beach.
A service for Rhea will take place at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Edenton on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 11 a.m.
Contributor: Beth O (49042037)
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