Lawrence Joseph “Joe” Adams Jr., 79, died Nov. 12, 2012, in the VA Hospice, Tuscaloosa, Ala. He was born Jan. 11, 1933, in Claypool, to Lawrence and Helen Keplinger Adams. In 1957, he married Reva “Jean” Kelly from Reform, Ala. She died Dec. 16, 2011. He attended schools in Claypool; Rockford, Ill.; Burlington, Iowa; and Chicago Vocational School. He was in the U.S. Army for four years, serving on the aircraft carrier the USS Yorktown off the coast of Japan during the Korean War. He lived in the Chicago area where he was on the police force in Morton Grove and later in Schaumburg. In 1980, he moved to Alabama where he served as chief of police in Pickensville and later worked for the police department in Aliceville until he retired. Surviving are a son, Kelly Patrick, Aliceville, Ala.; a brother, Paul Adams, Warsaw; five sisters: Lois Kline, Peg (and spouse Steve) Kimmerling, all of Warsaw; Kay (and spouse Paul) Snyder, Claypool; and Nancy (and spouse Bill) Patrick and Mary E. Smith, all of Pierceton. He also was preceded in death by two infant brothers. A memorial service will be at a later date in Aliceville.
