Obituary of Duane R. Adams
Funeral services for Duane Richard “Rusty” Adams, age 77, of Ogdensburg, NY, will be held on Thursday, November 21, 2019, at 10:00AM at Frary Funeral Home with Rev. F. James Shurtleff officiating. Burial will be in Stone Church Cemetery with military honors. Calling hours will be held from 2:00PM to 4:00PM and 6:00PM to 8:00PM on Wednesday, November 20, 2019, at Frary Funeral Home, Ogdensburg. Mr. Adams passed away on Monday, November 18, 2019, at his home surrounded by his loving family under the care of Hospice.
Rusty is survived by loving wife of fifty one years, Dixie; his three children, Amanda Rupert and her husband, Scot, of Ogdensburg, Glenn Adams and his companion, Patti Marks, of Ogdensburg, NY, Douglas Adams and his wife, Amy, of Morristown, NY; a brother, Dale Adams of Webster, NY, two sisters, Kathleen Sharlow of Gouverneur, NY and Keitha Marsh of Saint Paul, MN; eleven grandchildren, Andrew, Sarah, Alyssa, Morgan, Samantha, Logan, Jeffery, Luke, Jacob, Ryan and Shelby; eight great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. He is predeceased by his parents, Glenn and Katherine Adams; his siblings, Glenn Adams, Jr., Mary Bush, Lynn Adams and Douglas Adams.
Rusty was born on August 23, 1942, in Ogdensburg, NY, the son of Glenn and Katherine (Jackson) Adams. He attended schools in Star Lake and Canton. Upon graduation from Star Lake High school in 1958, Rusty enlisted in the United States Army in 1964 and served three years in Vietnam in the 1st Infantry Division. Rusty returned to Ogdensburg on leave and married Dixie L. McWilliams on September 7, 1968, in Heuvelton, NY. Mr. Adams later returned to Vietnam and continued his military service until he was honorably discharged in 1970 at the rank of Sergeant First Class, E-7. Rusty later attended Monroe Community College where he studied hotel management which led to his position at Mater Dei College as food service manager in 1982. Mr. Adams also worked for the Department of Corrections at both Riverview Correctional Facility and Ogdensburg Correctional Facility as head cook, retiring in 2002.
For more than 45 years, Rusty has been most memorable for his role as Ogdensburg’s local Santa, with the tradition first beginning when he played Santa when he was a soldier stationed near Saigon during the Vietnam War. Rusty was known for his big heart and generosity amongst all who knew him.
Mr. Adams was a lifetime member of the AMVETS, American Legion, and VFW and a member of the Oddfellows and Order of the Freemasons.
Donations may be made in Rusty’s memory to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516.