Adamson, Edward Leroy 1938-2012

ADAMSON, FAINT, MEEK, RAMBO, SWANSON, SMOLDT, CALDWELL, FOXMAN

Posted By: Ruth Maring - VOLUNTEER
Date: 3/13/2012 at 10:50:06

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life Service for Edward Leroy Adamson, 73, of DeWitt, Iowa, formerly of Calamus, Iowa, who passed from this life peacefully at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf, Iowa, Valentine's Day, Tuesday evening, February 14, 2012 at 11:10 p.m with his loving family at his bedside. The service will be held in the United Methodist Church of DeWitt at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, February 18, 2012. Family and friends are encouraged to share a favorite story or memory of Ed as part of the service. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery, Grand Mound. A luncheon will be served following the burial at the Grand Mound Community Center. Visitation will be held from 3:00 until 7:00 p.m. Friday, February 17, 2012 at Schultz Funeral Home, DeWitt.
Memorials are suggested to Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House, University of Iowa Children's Hospital or the charity of the donor's choice.

Pallbearers will be Dane Rambo, Joe Brimeyer, Dan Smoldt, Robert Smoldt, Jason Swanson, and Steven Swanson. Honorary pallbearers will be Ivan Peters, Ron Saathoff, Ralph Brimeyer, Lee Barber and Don Schmidt.

Ed entered life on November 28, 1938 in Cedar Falls, Iowa, born to Edward and Louise (Faint) Adamson. In his youth, Ed helped his father on the family farm. As an active 4-H member, he raised and showed champion hogs on the local and state levels. He won grand championships several times as well as many other awards. Ed graduated from Dike High School in Dike, Iowa, in 1957. He completed a BS degree in Animal Science at Iowa State College in 1961. It was there that he met and married Phyllis Meek on November 12, 1960 in Princeton, Missouri.

After graduation, Ed was hired by Wilson Meat Packing of Cedar Rapids, as a supervisor. Following a stint in real estate, Ed was hired in 1963 by the Federal Land Bank as a field man, working out of the DeWitt office. In 1965, Ed was selected to manage and build a new office in Ottumwa, Iowa. It was in August of 1967 that he moved his family back to Eastern Iowa to become an insurance agent and partner with Vernon Blunck. The agency became known as the Blunck-Adamson Agency, currently the Adamson-Lindsey Agency of Grand Mound, Iowa. Ed was also secretary/manager and board member for American Mutual Insurance of Grand Mound for many years. In December of 2010, Ed retired following forty-four years of dedicated service to his insured clients.

In 1975, Ed and his family purchased a small farm south of Calamus, where they lived until July of this year at which time they moved to DeWitt. Ed cherished the time spent with his family and friends. His interests included traveling, hunting, fishing and golfing. Additionally, he enjoyed reading and especially relaxing by the ocean in Florida. Ed found great joy snapping photos of family and friends, often in their unguarded moments. He was an expert gardener, sharing the fruits of his labors with others. Barbecuing, while entertaining his family and many friends, was an additional pleasure.

Ed was of the Methodist Faith. He was a longtime member of Wapsi Oaks and Springbrook Country Clubs as well as Theta Xi Fraternity, Mu Chapter. He was also an active member and past-president of the DeWitt Jaycees, holding various additional offices both locally and statewide.

A man of great character, Ed was generous, giving of himself to family and friends. During the 80’s, when times were tough, Ed extended himself to help others in need. He often thought out of the box when dealing with life’s many challenges. Trustworthiness, honesty and integrity were basic to Ed’s value system. Anyone who dealt with Ed quickly learned that taking a shortcut in ethics wasn’t going to work. Ed liked to have fun and was always up for an adventure. He promoted good times with his many friends, often employing his dry sense of humor. Finally, he showed great courage during his many hospital surgeries and medical challenges. Through it all he stood strong and hopeful, never the less, his kind and loving heart failed.

Surviving are his loving wife of 51 years, Phyllis; a daughter, Brenda Adamson-Rambo of DeWitt; a grandson, Dane Rambo of DeWitt; a sister, Sherry (John) Swanson of Cedar Rapids; mother-in-law, Cleo Meek of Vero Beach, Florida; sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law, Melinda and James Smoldt of Reinbeck, Iowa, Dana Caldwell of Houston, Texas; Suzanne and Ernest Foxman of Alameda, California, and David and Frances Meek of Sebastian, Florida; nieces and nephews and his beloved dog, Gracie.

Preceding Ed in death were a son, Michael, his parents and father-in-law, William Meek.

Condolences may be expressed and a photo tribute viewed at www.schultzfuneralhomes.com