James Wallace Adams

Funeral services for James Wallace Adams, 98, of Lufkin will be held Thursday, January 24, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. in the Carroway Funeral Home Chapel with Dee Bowman, Michael McLemore, Harold Hancock, and Reagan McClenny officiating. Interment will follow in the Sunset Memorial Park in Nacogdoches.

Mr. Adams was born August 27, 1914 in Brawley, California to the late Felix A. and Mary Roberta (Mittie) Adams, and died Monday, January 21, 2013 in a local hospital.

In 1920 the Adams family moved from California to Texas, where a number of Mr. Adams' ancestors were early settlers. He graduated as valedictorian from high school in LaPryor, Texas in 1931 and later attended Freed-Hardeman College in Henderson, Tennessee.

Encouraged to preach by his future brother-in-law Walter Leamons, Mr. Adams preached his first sermon December 31, 1933. He married Gertrude Leamons July 30, 1936; they were married 68 years at the time of her death in 2004.

Mr. Adams served as the local preacher at churches in San Benito, Temple, Longview, Beaumont, San Antonio, Baytown, Nacogdoches, Huntington, Center, Henderson, Terrell and Mt. Enterprise, as well as in Oklahoma, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana. Meeting work also carried him into 25 states and into Italy. In Lufkin he served the Timberland Drive Church of Christ as a second preacher, where he was a member.

In addition to preaching, Mr. Adams wrote for numerous religious publications and also served as Editor for several of them. One of his creative pleasures was writing poetry.

Survivors include his son, Robert Adams of Cleveland; daughters, Jimmie Nell McLemore and husband Henry of San Augustine and Patricia ""Fish"" Adams-Spivey of Lufkin; grandchildren, Clay, Michael and Marty McLemore, Kevin and Colin Adams, Angel Spivey Brondel, and Honey Spivey Habingreither; 14 great-grandchildren; and 4 great-great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his wife, Gertrude Adams; grandson, Kristopher McLemore; and brothers and sisters, Garland, Mary Jane, Leoto and Etta Mae.

Pallbearers will be Tim Beamon, Mike Penn, John Adams, Leon Manning, Jerry Johnson and Monte Ramsey.

The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday evening at the funeral home.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.