Edmund Ivan Adams

Edmund Ivan Adams, retired attorney, 84, passed away Friday, February 16, 2018 at Alleghany Memorial Hospital in Sparta, NC, from complications from pneumonia. He was born December 4, 1933 in Madison County, GA, to the late Clarence and Ola Stephens Adams. His attorney father and school teacher mother valued education and civic engagement, and Ed followed all eight of his older siblings to college. He attended Emory-at-Oxford and received his law degree from the University of Georgia in 1956. He moved to Winston-Salem, NC, and was admitted to the North Carolina Bar in 1960. From 1961 to 1969, he practiced in Winston-Salem where he was an Assistant Solicitor for Forsyth County. In 1970, Ed was offered an opportunity to move to Sparta to succeed long-time county attorney Floyd Crouse. At the time, Crouse was representing Ashe, Alleghany and Grayson Counties in opposition to the Blue Ridge Project — twin hydroelectric dams that would have inundated more than 50,000 acres of the best farmland along the New River. Ed was devoted to the “dam project,” understanding its irrevocable impact on the area’s economy, culture and landscape. He represented the three counties before the Federal Power Commission, testified before the Interior Committee of both the U.S. House and Senate, and appeared with Attorney General Edmisten before the District of Columbia Circuit. He and his allies prevailed and in 1976, legislation stopping the project was signed into law by President Ford. The certificate commemorating attendance at the Rose Garden Signing Ceremony hangs proudly in his law office. He was honored by the National Committee for the New River (of which he was a founding member with stints as Director and President) with the first Wallace and Peggy Carroll Lifetime Achievement Award for his work. Ed was named for the political theorist Edmund Burke, whose famous quote adorned his office desk: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” The New River project was only the beginning of a long career founding, leading, and serving a remarkable list of civic and service organizations in his adopted community and around the state. Ed chaired the Alleghany County Board of Elections for many years and was certified by the State Board of Elections in election laws. He served as an original local Guardian Ad Litem member-attorney from the inception of the program in 1983. He also committed countless hours of pro bono work in North Carolina, drafting documents, setting up non-profit organizations as well as maintaining his service on the North Carolina Court Appointed Attorney List for indigent clients. Ed was a Retired Army Reserve Colonel with 30 years’ service as a reservist, 1956-1986. Active with his ROTC program and a Graduate of Army Special Warfare School, Army Command and General Staff College, and Army War College (Carlisle, PA), he received the Special Forces Tab, Master Parachutist Badge and Meritorious Service Medal with the Oak Leaf Cluster. Ed Commanded an Army Reserve Special Forces “B-team”, 11th Special Forces Group, was a Command and General Staff USAR School instructor in leadership and tactics, served as assistant G3 in the 120th US Army Reserve Command (Ft. Jackson, SC), and was commandant of the 3286 US Army Reserve School, Raleigh. From 1967-1998, Ed was a North Carolina High School Athletic Association football referee. He trained young officials, served as a board member and as president in 1994, and was named the North Carolina National Interscholastic Football Official of the Year, 1996. He was an active leader with the Boy Scouts of America, including a member of the Executive Board, Old Hickory Council, Winston-Salem. He served as Council Commissioner from 1984 to 1987. His personal achievements include obtaining his Eagle Scout Rank, Woodbadge, Silver Beaver, and Order of the Arrow. He has been a Philmont Scoutmaster, and National Jamboree staff member in 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005. Other state-wide service included his stint as a board member for the North Carolina Affiliate, American Heart Association, 1976-1983 as well as Statewide Board chair, 1979-1983. He served as an American Heart and American Cancer Society volunteer for more than 30 years. In Alleghany County, he was a Board member and organizer of Alleghany Connections, the Governor’s One-on-One mentoring program, serving three two-year terms as chair and a volunteer. He was an active member in the Sparta Lions Club, serving on various committees and as president, and was selected as a Jack Stickley Fellow. He loved music — especially choral music — and sang for many years with the Highland Camerata, a regional choral concert group. Ed was a member of a leadership group that organized a local Hospice, lending their own money and raising funds to acquire an office building, which was purchased in 1994. This building is still in use as part of a three-county volunteer agency that provides hospice and home health care. This leadership group was also responsible for the establishment of Alleghany CARES — Christians Associated for Relief and Emergency Services —a thrift store similar to Goodwill. Ed was instrumental in its development, serving as a board member and chair, during which time the organization acquired land and built two large buildings, hired a director, and developed a program of fundraising. Funds from the thrift store are used to support any number of services for neighbors in need, including a Food Closet, heating assistance, shoes and coats for kids, prescription drugs and dental care. He was extraordinarily proud of the success and reach of this home-grown organization. in 2008, Governor Easley awarded CARES the North Carolina Volunteer Golden Medallion for outstanding volunteer achievement. In 2008, Ed was joined in his law practice by Whitney Ivey. It was a great relief to Ed to find a partner who embraced the way his practice served the local community. They became fast friends as well as partners, and he took great pride in the opportunity to mentor such a fine young attorney. The practice continues as Adams & Ivey today. Throughout his many years in Alleghany County, he was particularly devoted to his church, Sparta United Methodist. Joining in 1970, he held down the bass section of the church choir where he served as soloist, loved his Sunday-School class and rarely missed a Men’s Breakfast. He also chaired the church council during their building and renovation program. He trained as a lay speaker and filled in for local UMC pastors when called upon. He regularly read and studied in order to deepen his faith, tackling the questions that troubled him, finding his way, and offering his Christian fellowship with humility and joy to others. Compassionate and generous, he was a good and loyal friend. In 2009, when he received the I. Beverly Lake Public Service Award from the NC Bar, Ed said: “As a Christian, I can say God takes care of me. As best I can tell, he lets me do as I please, and I’m grateful for my life at the Bar, for the opportunity it gives me to serve others, for lawyer friends who bear me good will; for my partner and our highly professional staff, and for my wife and family. Beyond that, the hundreds of friends who have joined me in the service of others.” Punctuating this exceptional career, in 2013 he received the Governor’s Volunteer Service Medallion Award for his many years of service to NC and its people. In 2014 he was inducted into the North Carolina Bar Association General Practice Hall of Fame. His wife, Marion Allison Adams, was his constant companion throughout their 36-year marriage. She loved joining him and supporting their many volunteer activities. In addition to his parents, Ed was preceded in death by four sisters and four of his five brothers. He is survived by his wife, Marion Adams; one daughter, Lyda Carpen (husband Börje) of Greensboro; two grandchildren, Elina and Erik Carpen; one step-daughter, Allison Neely (husband Chip) of Raleigh; one step-granddaughter, Jessica Neely of Raleigh; one brother, Marvin Adams (wife Paula) of Gibson, GA; one sister-in-law Harriette Adams of Gainesville, FL, and numerous nieces and nephews. Family was very important to him, and he was known for his letters, family stories and big laugh. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, March 17 at Sparta United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends at the church following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: The New River Conservancy, PO Box 1480, West Jefferson, NC 28694. Grandview Memorial Funeral Home is proudly serving the Adams family and if you wish, online condolences may be submitted to the family at www.grandviewfuneralhome.comRead Obituary