Christopher Adams

Much to the heartfelt sadness and regret of all who knew and loved him, Christopher Gareth Adams departed from this Earthly life on June 17th of this year.  Chris was born on December 14, 1969, being the only child of his mother, Mary Audrey Adams.  He grew up in in a loving, fun filled home in Elizabethtown with his mother and his grandparents, William Wyatt Adams and Ruth Johnson Adams, all of whom have predeceased him.   He is also predeceased by his uncles, Adrian Adams and Roy Adams.  As a very young child, Chris was inquisitive and gained a wealth of knowledge from his mother and grandparents, all who adored him.  Chris’ grandparents died before he started to preschool, and his mother, Audrey, worked second shift at the Bladen County Hospital so as a result, he stayed with his extended family, Franklin and Jean Adams and their daughters, Cindy and Shirley while his mother worked.  Instead of Chris being an only child, he gained two sisters.  The families did everything together, even vacations.

After graduating from East Bladen High School, he attended North Carolina State University in Raleigh and obtained a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture as well as a General Bachelor of Architecture, Summa Cum Laude.  Chris was a brilliant, witty, and accomplished Architect who had the gift of coming up with solutions for difficult design problems.  Although he worked for several commercial firms throughout the years, he designed many private residences and projects throughout Southeastern North Carolina while he was in private practice.  He saved several historic homes in the area, finding innovative ways to reinforce structural defects but with retaining the original historic character of the homes.  He renovated a historic house on Main Street in Elizabethtown which was built around 1920 and is now owned and occupied by the Womble Law Firm.  Chris also personally supervised the renovation of the Old Bridger Home in the neighboring town of Bladenboro which was built in 1902 that is now privately owned by Stanton and Cynthia Singletary.  One of the projects of which he was most proud was the renovation of the former home of Colonel John McDowell, one of the oldest standing structures in Bladen County, dating back to 1834.   The house had major structural defects and various other issues, and although Chris knew it would be an enormous undertaking, he could not stand the idea of allowing a piece of history in his hometown to come into ruins.  Without any grants or help from the historic society, Chris undertook and completed the lovely renovation of the McDowell House, which is now the Elizabethtown Inn.   During this time, he was very fortunate to have the enduring assistance of his cousin, Ellen Adams Bryan, and her husband, Chuck Bryan to assist him with the renovations and to help with the care of his mother, Audrey.

Chris is survived by Franklin and Jean Adams of Bladenboro; Cynthia Adams Singletary and husband Stanton of Bladenboro; Shirley Adams Britt, and husband, Steve of Tar Heel; Zane Hamilton Singletary, who Chris referred to as his nephew and took with him on many ventures and world travels; Ellen Adams Bryan, and husband, Chuck Bryan of Elizabethtown. He had and a whole host of other cousins, family, and friends, too numerous to name individually, who loved and adored him.  Chris had a truly beautiful heart and soul.

A Remembrance Celebration will be held at the home of Stanton and Cynthia Singletary, 307 South Main Street in Bladenboro on July 2 at 7:30 p.m. where family and friends are invited to gather to remember Chris.  The interment of his body to the Earth will occur at a later time in a private ceremony.  Anyone desiring to make memorials are requested to do so at any one of the following three charities designated by Chris:  (1) Southeastern Carolina Crossroads, 1086 Susie Sandhill Road in Elizabethtown, N.C.  (2) The Lucy Daniels Center, 9003 Weston Pkwy. Cary, NC 27513.in Cary, N.C.  and (3) Our Fatherless Foundation, Inc.  1557 Buford Drive Lawrenceville, GA 30043.