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Adams, Rex G. (1929 - 2018)

ADAMS, JOHANNSEN

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 1/16/2018 at 21:29:24

Name of deceased: Rex Gilbert Adams

Aged: 88 yrs, 8 mo, 27 days

Residence: Kirkman, Shelby County, IA

Born: April 8, 1929; Kirkman, Shelby County, IA

Died: Jan. 4, 2018; Kirkman, IA

Funeral services: Saturday, March 10, 2018; Kirkman United Methodist Church, Kirkman, IA

Survived by: Sons, Rex Adams (spouse, Cindy) and Jay Adams (spouse, Roxanne); 6 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; other family members and friends

Predeceased by: Parents, Harry R. Adams and Beulah G. Adams

Education: Attended Kirkman (IA) Consolidated Schools and graduated with the Class of 1946

Religious affiliation: Methodist

Military service: no information provided

Marriage: Betty Jean Johannsen; Oct. 1, 1949; location not provided

Employment: Rex drove the school bus at the age of 14 while a sophomore in high school, with special permission from the Shelby County Sheriff. This was during WWll, when there was an extreme shortage of drivers. Rex drove a school bus for 17 years, with the last years at Irwin, IA after Kirkman merged with the Irwin Consolidated School. During high school, he worked after school, nights and weekends at the Kirkman garage operated by Norris Dickinson, and became a proficient mechanic. An ambitious young man, he purchased a used Massey Harris tractor and 3 bottom plow and did custom plowing in season. Rex rented 80 acres of land from his father and began farming while still in school.

A few years after their marriage, Rex and Betty began raising turkeys on their farm, starting with 5,000 birds the first year and gradually increased production to 120,000 per year by 1977. They also farmed 1200 acres of land owned and rented.

When the farm crisis came along in the early 1980s, Rex and Betty shut down the turkey operation and had an auction selling some of the land and farm equipment.

From 1984 to 1989, Rex worked overseas as a poultry and feed consultant. Rex had 27 projects in 18 countries, 5 of which were in Africa. Most projects were for the U.S. Peace Corp Volunteers to improve village chicken production, and some projects were for the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

In 1989 Rex and Betty got the opportunity to raise broiler chickens for the Campbell Soup Company on contract, making the feed with their feed mill, a profitable enterprise. At the same time, Rex and Betty leased four vacant hog finishers and started finishing 5,000 pigs per year. After 5 years, Campbell’s made the decision they no longer needed the 26 broiler growers anymore, so the 26 broiler growers bought the chicken processing plant in Tecumseh, Nebraska and founded the Smart Chicken Company, which is now marketed in over 4,000 stores nationwide. Rex raised 300,000 broilers per year, getting 50,000 baby chicks 6 times a year. In 2000, at the age of 71, Rex retired from the poultry growing project.

In the early 1950’s, Rex and other young farmers watched a neighbor’s house burn to the ground; as a result, they organized the Kirkman Rural Volunteer Fire Department. After several fundraisers, the group purchased their first fire truck. There were 24 members, and Rex served as the president for most of his 17 years as a fireman.

Rex served on the Iowa Turkey Federation board of directors for many years and later on the Iowa Poultry Association board as a broiler grower.

In 1961 Rex was elected into the Farmers’ Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company Board of Directors, representing the Kirkman exchange.

Rex served as the chairman of the Kirkman centennial board in 1992 and raised money for the new Kirkman Community Building. He was also a co-founder and lifetime member of the Western Iowa Pioneer Cemetery Association, which restores pioneer cemeteries in Shelby and Harrison Counties in Iowa.

Hobbies/Interests: no information provided

Sources: knodfm.com; hoyfuneral.com


 

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