Charles Harry Adams Jr., age 71, passed away on Tuesday, August 20, 2013, at Maine Medical Center in Portland, following a short but courageous battle with stomach cancer. He was born on September 28, 1941, the third child and second son of Charles H. Adams Sr. and Ferne Whitlock Adams.
Charles grew up attending local elementary schools and briefly attended Casco High School. At the age of seventeen, he made a defining decision to enlist in the United States Marine Corps, where he served a four-year enlistment. Entering boot camp as a slight young man, he emerged transformed—taller, stronger, and shaped by the discipline and resilience that would define the rest of his life. During his service, he earned his GED, a milestone he carried with quiet pride.
Following his military service, Charles became a professional painter, a trade he practiced faithfully for nearly fifty years. His work ethic and skill earned him a reputation for reliability and craftsmanship throughout the communities he served.
In 1963, Charles survived a serious automobile accident that permanently injured the fingers on his left hand. The injury earned him the nickname “The Hammer,” a moniker he carried with humor despite his distaste for shopping of any kind. The accident did nothing to slow him down. He continued to pitch softball—winning a state championship in 1984—played golf, and wielded a paintbrush with determination and pride.
Charles was a longtime member of the American Legion Post #155 in Naples, maintaining his membership from 1980 until his passing in 2013. His connection to fellow veterans and the community remained an important part of his life.
He was predeceased by his father, Charles H. Adams Sr., and five brothers: Austin, Billy, Michael, George, and Richard.
Charles is survived by his mother, Ferne Adams; three sisters, Sally Wentworth and her husband Nelson of Lisbon Falls, Elizabeth Chute and her husband Larry of Casco, and Charlotte-Anne and her companion Calvin Nicholus of Sebago; three brothers, John of Naples, Fred and his wife Dusty of Naples, and Steven and his companion Ann of Windham. He is also survived by his daughters, Emily Nikline and her husband Darrin, and Ellie-Piper of Maple Valley, Washington, as well as many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and a wide circle of friends. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Hall Funeral Home of Casco. A graveside service was held on Saturday, August 31, 2013, at Edes Falls Cemetery in Naples, followed by a gathering at the American Legion Hall on Route 11 in Naples.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Charles’s memory were directed to Maine Medical Center’s P3CD Unit or to the Jimmy Fund. Special thanks were extended to the doctors, nurses, and CNAs of the P3CD unit for their compassionate care.
Sources
Obituary originally published by The Bridgton News, August 2013.