Frederick Luke Adams

Frederick Luke Adams passed away as the sun rose on March 19, 2024. He was 86 years old and is survived by his wife Betty Dancy Adams of Wilmington, NC, sons John Adams (Julie) of Simpsonville, SC, and Jeff Adams (Jamie Poe) of Morrisville, NC, three stepdaughters, six grandchildren and six step-grandchildren. He was loved.

Fred was born September 25, 1937, in the town of Butler (pop. 1200) in Taylor County, Ga. A son of the late Jewell and Luke Adams, Fred had an older brother, Benny Adams of Golconda, Illinois, who also predeceased him. Young Fred and his best friend Sonny Edwards were fun-loving boys who made their own entertainment. One event they might’ve been responsible for was feathers blowing through the local movie theater’s air system one Saturday after Fred and Sonny returned from dove hunting.

A 1955 graduate of Taylor County High School, Fred served in the Air Force National Guard and attended college for two years before starting work at First National Bank of Atlanta. Seeing that Fred was a natural salesman, Gaylord Container Company lured him to a customer service position in 1961 and promoted him to outside sales within a few years. Fred’s territory was eastern North Carolina, where he claimed to know the location of every shade tree worthy of an afternoon nap.  Fred retired as sales manager in 2000 with many awards.

A longtime resident of Raleigh, Fred was an avid fan of the NC State Wolfpack and the Georgia Bulldogs. He moved to Wilmington when he and Betty married in 1995. They were members of Wrightsville Beach United Methodist Church, Hanover Seaside Club, and Pine Valley Country Club. Fred also was a member of the Lions Club and delivered gifts every year as part of the Salvation Army Christmas program.

Fred was adventuresome, always interested in learning new things, and loved to explore. For many years he traveled with his bird-hunting buddies to Choteau, Montana on an annual pilgrimage that became the source of strong bonds and colorful stories. Shortly after retiring, Fred announced to Betty that they were “heading west on a road trip” so that Betty could experience some of what Fred loved there. They left with a map, had no itinerary and returned six weeks later, after visiting dozens of states, Native American reservations and national parks. They hiked, shopped, fished, attended rodeos and made friends wherever they went.

Fred also enjoyed golfing with a tightly-knit group of friends, liked boating and enjoyed a hearty laugh. He was a positive force in the life of his family and friends, often telling them “Don’t look back. You’re not going that way.”

A memorial service will be held at Wrightsville United Methodist Church on Saturday, April 27 at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at https://www.stjude.org

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Quinn McGowen Funeral Home – Wilmington

910-794-7171

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