Obituary for Paul Adams
Paul Adams, accomplished welder, machinist, entrepreneur, creator, businessman and visionary, passed away peacefully in his home on April 8th after living with Parkinson’s Disease for several years. Paul was born on December 1, 1942 in Burlington, VT to Harriet Smith Adams and Harry Adams. He was the second of two sons to his brother George. He is survived by his daughter Ashley Adams, her husband Pike Porter, and their son Atticus Adams-Porter of Burlington, VT, his former wife and best friend Bonita Adams and her husband Bernard Ste. Marie of Jeffersonville, as well as cousins, dear friends and his beloved dog Petey. Paul was grateful to have an exceptional team of caregivers who not only helped him live in comfort and peace, but loved him as he did them.
Paul graduated from Burlington High School and went on to serve in the US Navy as a helicopter structural mechanic for 3 years aboard the USS Hornet off the coast of Vietnam. During the course of his service, he received extensive welding and mechanical training which he would later put to use in his business. Upon discharge from the Navy, Paul pursued additional welding certifications and training at Lincoln Electric in Cleveland, OH. Shortly after returning home to VT, he met his future wife Bonita Adams, whom he married in 1969.
In 1969, Paul and Bonnie purchased a welder and a used truck and started what would become P.G. Adams, Inc. on Airport Parkway in South Burlington, providing portable welding services in and around Chittenden County. They would eventually go on to provide structural steel, stairs, railings, and ornamental metals throughout Vermont, as well as projects in ME, NH, MA, and NY. Today, the company’s enduring work can be seen in many institutions, public spaces, and commercial locations. Paul’s meticulous attention to detail and his ability to bring innovative designs to fruition was appreciated by architects and contractors alike. His employees knew Paul to be a kind, patient and generous teacher. Paul found great pleasure in teaching and mentoring employees, and in seeing them grow and flourish.
After their divorce, Bonnie would go on to run her own business for many years, and later rejoin Paul and Ashley, assisting with the next phase of business for P.G. Adams, truck frame fabrication for Class 8 vehicles. They made an ideal team with Paul providing the vision and technical knowledge and Ashley and Bonnie spearheading marketing and other key considerations. Today, P.G. Adams is a trusted supplier of truck frames throughout the country and beyond.
Through the years, Paul was eager to take on unusual projects for customers when time permitted. A favorite project was a lovely little owner-designed steel tugboat, the Volendam, which can still be seen motoring on Lake Champlain. He also managed to design and build three of his unique homes during the course of his life, something he took great pleasure in.
Paul was never without a project of his own (several to be more accurate). His last was a Model A, which he was building from the ground up. He was always armed with a tape measure and a pencil, and papers with various notes and sketches. He seemed always to be overflowing with ideas and, after having worked a long day with his daughter, was known to call her in the evening to discuss additional ideas. Paul was undaunted by setbacks. He seemed to relish a challenge, bringing to bear his intelligence, skill, creativity, and endless patience.
When not working on one of his enumerable projects, Paul enjoyed scuba diving in the Keys, sailing, kayaking, running, hiking, and antiquing. Paul enjoyed paddling along the LaPlatte with his daughter, grandson, son-in-law, and dog (always a dog), quietly observing painted turtles, blue heron, ducks, and a variety of other creatures. Paul was delighted to be a grandfather and treasured time spent with his grandson. He was an avid reader of history and invention, politics, world affairs, and Hemmings Motor News.
Paul was a true egalitarian and bemoaned the moral failings of our society to care for the most vulnerable among us. He had a reverence for animals and a passion for protecting them, at one time carefully disassembling his stove pipe to extract a soot covered screech owl; another time enlisting his daughter’s assistance to help an injured Cardinal. He and his daughter aspired to become wildlife rehabilitators together, but did not manage to do this before Parkinson’s changed his trajectory. Nonetheless, Paul was always eager to help an animal or person in need.
Many people, his daughter included, enjoyed Paul’s dry sense of humor. He appreciated political satire, Monty Python, David Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, Kids in the Hall, Saturday Night Live, and the wit and wisdom of many others. While reading the paper each morning, he would never skip the comics and while he enjoyed the New Yorker for its articles, he migrated first to the cartoons. His music of choice was 50’s & 60’s rock-and-roll. Since this music was not allowed in his home as a teenager, he would often walk up to the UVM student center to enjoy it. Paul was grateful to see two of his favorite rebels and contemporaries, Bob Dylan and Neil Young, in concert while he was still physically able.
Paul was adventuresome and was known to be a risk taker. He was quite comfortable making his way across an I-beam at any height while erecting structural steel. He tried his hand at skydiving a few times, and found it thrilling. In his youth, Paul enjoyed ski jumping and ice boating. He enjoyed fast cars, fast jeeps, and fast boats, having modified all of them at one time or another to achieve maximum speed.
For many years, Paul could be seen near his home in Shelburne, walking his dog after work while picking up trash along the side of the road. In his understated way, Paul was leaving the world a better place. His family felt loved and cherished by him, and he was equally cherished by them. Paul will be dearly missed. This kind, gentle man, father, grandfather, dear friend, has left an outsized hole in our hearts.
Visiting hours will be held at AW Rich Funeral Home on 57 Main St. Essex Junction on Tuesday April 26th from 5pm-7pm. Masks are required. A celebration of Paul’s life will be held at a later date to be determined and posted to AW Rich’s website: https://www.awrichfuneralhomes.com/
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation https://www.michaeljfox.org or your local humane society. Rural humane societies will especially appreciate your donation if you are able.
Paul graduated from Burlington High School and went on to serve in the US Navy as a helicopter structural mechanic for 3 years aboard the USS Hornet off the coast of Vietnam. During the course of his service, he received extensive welding and mechanical training which he would later put to use in his business. Upon discharge from the Navy, Paul pursued additional welding certifications and training at Lincoln Electric in Cleveland, OH. Shortly after returning home to VT, he met his future wife Bonita Adams, whom he married in 1969.
In 1969, Paul and Bonnie purchased a welder and a used truck and started what would become P.G. Adams, Inc. on Airport Parkway in South Burlington, providing portable welding services in and around Chittenden County. They would eventually go on to provide structural steel, stairs, railings, and ornamental metals throughout Vermont, as well as projects in ME, NH, MA, and NY. Today, the company’s enduring work can be seen in many institutions, public spaces, and commercial locations. Paul’s meticulous attention to detail and his ability to bring innovative designs to fruition was appreciated by architects and contractors alike. His employees knew Paul to be a kind, patient and generous teacher. Paul found great pleasure in teaching and mentoring employees, and in seeing them grow and flourish.
After their divorce, Bonnie would go on to run her own business for many years, and later rejoin Paul and Ashley, assisting with the next phase of business for P.G. Adams, truck frame fabrication for Class 8 vehicles. They made an ideal team with Paul providing the vision and technical knowledge and Ashley and Bonnie spearheading marketing and other key considerations. Today, P.G. Adams is a trusted supplier of truck frames throughout the country and beyond.
Through the years, Paul was eager to take on unusual projects for customers when time permitted. A favorite project was a lovely little owner-designed steel tugboat, the Volendam, which can still be seen motoring on Lake Champlain. He also managed to design and build three of his unique homes during the course of his life, something he took great pleasure in.
Paul was never without a project of his own (several to be more accurate). His last was a Model A, which he was building from the ground up. He was always armed with a tape measure and a pencil, and papers with various notes and sketches. He seemed always to be overflowing with ideas and, after having worked a long day with his daughter, was known to call her in the evening to discuss additional ideas. Paul was undaunted by setbacks. He seemed to relish a challenge, bringing to bear his intelligence, skill, creativity, and endless patience.
When not working on one of his enumerable projects, Paul enjoyed scuba diving in the Keys, sailing, kayaking, running, hiking, and antiquing. Paul enjoyed paddling along the LaPlatte with his daughter, grandson, son-in-law, and dog (always a dog), quietly observing painted turtles, blue heron, ducks, and a variety of other creatures. Paul was delighted to be a grandfather and treasured time spent with his grandson. He was an avid reader of history and invention, politics, world affairs, and Hemmings Motor News.
Paul was a true egalitarian and bemoaned the moral failings of our society to care for the most vulnerable among us. He had a reverence for animals and a passion for protecting them, at one time carefully disassembling his stove pipe to extract a soot covered screech owl; another time enlisting his daughter’s assistance to help an injured Cardinal. He and his daughter aspired to become wildlife rehabilitators together, but did not manage to do this before Parkinson’s changed his trajectory. Nonetheless, Paul was always eager to help an animal or person in need.
Many people, his daughter included, enjoyed Paul’s dry sense of humor. He appreciated political satire, Monty Python, David Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, Kids in the Hall, Saturday Night Live, and the wit and wisdom of many others. While reading the paper each morning, he would never skip the comics and while he enjoyed the New Yorker for its articles, he migrated first to the cartoons. His music of choice was 50’s & 60’s rock-and-roll. Since this music was not allowed in his home as a teenager, he would often walk up to the UVM student center to enjoy it. Paul was grateful to see two of his favorite rebels and contemporaries, Bob Dylan and Neil Young, in concert while he was still physically able.
Paul was adventuresome and was known to be a risk taker. He was quite comfortable making his way across an I-beam at any height while erecting structural steel. He tried his hand at skydiving a few times, and found it thrilling. In his youth, Paul enjoyed ski jumping and ice boating. He enjoyed fast cars, fast jeeps, and fast boats, having modified all of them at one time or another to achieve maximum speed.
For many years, Paul could be seen near his home in Shelburne, walking his dog after work while picking up trash along the side of the road. In his understated way, Paul was leaving the world a better place. His family felt loved and cherished by him, and he was equally cherished by them. Paul will be dearly missed. This kind, gentle man, father, grandfather, dear friend, has left an outsized hole in our hearts.
Visiting hours will be held at AW Rich Funeral Home on 57 Main St. Essex Junction on Tuesday April 26th from 5pm-7pm. Masks are required. A celebration of Paul’s life will be held at a later date to be determined and posted to AW Rich’s website: https://www.awrichfuneralhomes.com/
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation https://www.michaeljfox.org or your local humane society. Rural humane societies will especially appreciate your donation if you are able.