Donald L. Adams
Donald L. Adams 92, Lake Mills, passed away Friday, March 27, 2020 at the Lake Mills Care Center. Due to state and federal guidance on gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the family will not be having a public memorial at this time. A private family service was held at Mittelstadt Funeral Home with Pastor Melinda McCluskey officiating. Inurnment for both Don and LaVonne will tentatively take place this summer at Salem Memorial Cemetery, rural Lake Mills. Military honors will be conducted by the Otto Chose American Legion Post #235 and the Louis Tveite American Legion Post #317. Memorials may be directed to MercyOne North Iowa Hospice.
Donald LeRoy Adams was born Feb. 29, 1928 in Worth County, to parents Corbet and Sarah (Bye) Adams. He was the youngest of six children and lived an eventful life from beginning to end. At the age of one, Don contracted an illness, running a fever so high that he almost died. Thankfully he survived, because it gave him many, many opportunities to celebrate Leap Day. When Don passed away, he had officially celebrated 23 Leap Day birthdays and 92 years of age.
He attended and graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1946. On March 1, 1946 Don enlisted in the Unites States Navy, serving during WWII, and was honorably discharged Dec. 29, 1947.
Not long after Don returned home from the service, on his fifth birthday (20 years old), while attending a dance in Albert Lea, Don made eye contact with LaVonne Hanson and the rest is history. They were married July 9, 1949 at the First Lutheran Church parsonage, Albert Lea, Minn., and made their home north of Rice Lake, where Don farmed. Don sold seed corn for O’s Gold which allowed he and LaVonne opportunities to travel for the company; some memorable destinations were Hawaii and Spain. After their first visit to McAllen, Texas, Don and LaVonne were hooked. Don referred to their retirement community and the views around McAllen as heaven, and subsequently spent over 30 winters escaping the Midwest cold.
Friends and family of “The Judge” will remember him for his ability to be the instigator of the practical jokes, rarely the recipient. He enjoyed golfing, fishing and spending time with his family, and there would usually be a game of cribbage involved.
Don will be remembered by his four children: Pat (David) Young, Cedar Rapids; Bruce Adams, Lake Mills; Mike (Regina) Adams, Lake Mills; and Donna (Jim) Kellogg, Mason City; 10 grandchildren: Bob (Sara) Young, Kurt Young, Chris (Diana) Adams, Justin (Amber) Adams, Tim (Katie) Adams, Rick Adams, Scott (Becky) Adams, Jim Adams, Catherine Adams, and Elizabeth (Jesse) Hill; 16 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; sisters- and brothers-in-law: Norma Adams, Dan (Judy) Hanson, Mary (David) Adamson, Judy Hanson, Sharon Hanson, Sandy Zwick, Sonnie Woolson, Ann Hanson, Paul (Mary) Hanson, and Pam (Paul) Jerdee; as well as many extended relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Corbet and Sarah; wife, LaVonne in 2010; a daughter-in-law, Mary Adams; and siblings: James (Maevis) Adams, Eva (Louie) Hareid, Carma Adams, Cora (Elwood) Rice, and Blanche (Howard) Hareid.
