Ronald Lee Adams

As a toddler, he was often prone to sickness. During these times, his older brother Jim became his main “tender” and they became and remained very close until Jim's death in 1978.

Ron was almost three years old when his father Willis died. This was difficult for him, and he quietly expressed a deep admiration and sense of loss for his father throughout his life. Shortly after the death of his father, his mother moved the family to Utah.

He was five years old when his mother married Walter Hansen. He then grew up on a little farm in Warren Utah, where he spent his entire childhood waking early to milk cows, gather eggs, and play with their dogs and cats. His favorite dogs were Smudge and Ring, who were his partners in crime and companions on many adventures. Growing up in rural Utah, he became an avid outdoorsman alongside his brothers and nephews. He always had a deep love and respect for nature and wildlife. You were sure to find him exploring the natural local areas or deep in the backwoods of the mountains. One on occasion while duck hunting a few miles from the farm, he walked into some deep mud. The mud quickly started sinking and he became stuck past his waist. His trusty dogs stayed with him, he said a prayer, and a little later his older brother Bob came with the truck and a rope to pull him out. He recognized that he was “being looked after” by some higher power and considered himself very blessed.

He was also very athletic and good at sports. He played baseball and basketball. Later he would develop a love and talent for distance running and biking.

When Dad was 12 years old he was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes. His attitude regarding this life-threatening illness was one of annoyance and defiance rather than fear. He never let his illness keep him from enjoying his various outdoor hobbies, such as hiking, backpacking, and hunting. There were many instances where he was desperate for sugar on the trail and he would wolf down whatever sweets he could, continue on, and push through.

When he was 19 years old he served a mission in Lansing Michigan, however, because of complications with his diabetes he became very sick and came home after five weeks.

Before his mission, he met a pretty girl at a Weber State dance. He awkwardly tapped her on the shoulder and asked her to dance. Her name was Judy Ann Rich and she liked his handsome blue eyes. After dating for a short time, she agreed to wait for him while he served a mission, luckily for her, she didn’t have to wait very long and they were married in the Odgen Temple on January 23rd, 1976.

Together Ron and Judy raised a loving family of four children. Jamie, Scott, Randall, and myself, Krysten. He was an excellent father and he instilled in all of us morals and values that he deemed necessary. Morals that he himself had, such as a deep love of family, respect and appreciation of nature, resilience, strong work ethic, adaptability, and a slightly odd but endearing sense of humor.

He was an uncommonly patient person, a trait which assisted him greatly as a father. He never yelled and was slow to anger. He was an attentive and good listener who could put anyone at ease with his gentle and quiet demeanor. He also was an extremely hard worker and spent most of his adult life working two jobs to provide for his family. Although he took pride in his work, it was never central to his life. He was very involved in his wife and children's lives. He always showed up to support every game, event, or performance. He also took the time to take us camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, biking, and four-wheeling.

He would also involve his children in his work life. All of us have precious memories of truck driving with our dad and working on cars or other projects with him. I remember him taking me to his work at the recycling center at BYU and we would jump and play in truckloads of shredded paper or go to the creamery for ice cream.

He loved ice cream, and when he wasn’t working or outdoors, he loved to eat popcorn and ice cream or popsicles while watching comedies such as Tommy Boy, Dumb and Dumber, or the Simpsons with his kids.

He loved to laugh and joke with his family and in one instance convinced his son Randall that he was an alien and the reason we closed our eyes to pray was so he could take off his mask. He was also fair when delegating chores, we didn’t have a dishwasher, so he would spin a butter knife to decide who had to do the dishes after dinner. One could note that the knife rarely landed on dad.

He worked at the BYU recycling center for over 25 years, while simultaneously driving truck for the Koford Trucking Company, sleeping in the truck bed in between loads, and heating up food on the engine while he drove. He retired from BYU and trucking in 2009 due to the after-effects of his stroke.

He was always a naturally quiet and reserved man, but after his stroke in 2009, he became distinctly more so. His favorite companion during this time was his beloved dog Cocoa, whom he spoiled excessively. He could no longer hike or run long distances, however, he remained active through mountain biking.

Ronald often faded into the background due to his reserved attitude, but he was always there for his family and there was no doubt that he loved every one of them dearly.

He would often babysit his grandchildren, spend time with his wife, and help his children as they dealt with their own challenges of adulthood. He especially enjoyed watching his grandchildren play sports and would laugh at the little ones learning how to throw a ball or run the wrong way on the field, and he was proud of the older ones for their growth and successes.

On October 5th, 2023, Ronald Lee Adams died after suffering from a second stroke. True to his character, after fighting and maintaining a strong heartbeat for almost a week, Ron passed quietly and gently, in his home surrounded by family.

Ron was an intelligent but simple and good man. He worked and played hard. He was a doer and a fixer. He lived a life, while filled with moments of grief and strife, was also filled with laughter and love. He taught his children and grandchildren through example, how to laugh and be goofy, persevere, work hard, and care for others. He leaves behind a legacy of quiet dignity and empathy. I am grateful to be his daughter and to have had the opportunity to know a man like Ronald Lee Adams.