McAlester News-Capital, McAlester, OK

Obituaries

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    Violet Leona Adams
October 10, 2012

Violet Leona Adams

Submitted report

McALESTER — Violet Leona Adams, 86, of Kiowa, died Monday, Oct. 8, 2012, at her daughter’s home in Mannford, after a 12-month battle against brain cancer.

The family will receive visitors Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bishop Funeral Service.

Funeral services will be Friday at 11 a.m. at the Bishop Funeral Service Chapel with the Rev. Dennis Piearcy of Kiowa First Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be at the Kiowa Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Bishop Funeral Service of McAlester.

Born Feb. 14, 1926, in Blanco, she was the daughter of Harlan Joel “Jack” Cates and Emma Bertie (Williams) Cates. In her early childhood, she lived in Blanco, McAlester, Red Oak, Panola and the Rocky Point community near Wilburton. She attended elementary schools in McAlester (5th Ward), Red Oak, Panola and Blanco; middle school in Blanco; and high school in Pittsburg. All through her life, her quest for learning was never extinguished.

She married Don Edward Adams, of Kiowa, on Jan. 20, 1948, in Fort Smith, Ark. They were married 45 years at the time of her husband’s death in 1993. She had lived in Kiowa all her adult life.

In 1973, with a government service level of ordnanceman, she retired from the McAlester Naval Ammunition Depot on a medical disability. She was an avid reader, writer, book collector, and enjoyed to research and write about family genealogy. She attended the Kiowa Senior Citizens Center daily to visit with her friends, both new and lifelong. In her younger years, she enjoyed painting and drawing. She was a member of Kiowa First Baptist Church.

Survivors include a daughter, Toni Adams and husband, Rick, of Mannford; sons, Don Adams II and wife, Wanda, of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Randy Adams and wife, Ruby, of Plano, Texas; sister, Letha Covey, of McAlester; brothers, Bill Cates and wife, Rita, of Lancaster, Texas, and Roger Cates and wife, Linda, of Ypsilanti, Michigan; four grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren, and numerous nephews and nieces.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Sharon Kay Adams; her husband, Don E. Adams, and a brother, Albert “A.C.” Cates.

Pallbearers will be Bill Cates Jr., Michael Cates, Mike Hall, Scott Hall, Mike Sexton, and Paul Adams Jr.

Honorary pallbearers will be Buzz and Melva Henry, Bill and Billie Jo Hensley, Wayne Sexton, Cecil Herron, Genice Mabray, Johnnie Patty, Wanda Graham and her friends at the Kiowa Senior Citizens Center and Kiowa First Baptist Church.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Kiowa Senior Citizens Center and the Kiowa First Baptist Church.

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