James Earl Adams

James Earl Adams, 88, of Bartonville, Illinois, died on July 8, 2023, at Accolade Healthcare in East Peoria, Illinois. Born on May 20, 1935, in Charleston, Illinois, to the late Earl and Mary Eloise (Engle) Adams, he married Emily Jean Ross on June 23, 1957 in Charleston, Illinois. She survives.

James graduated from his hometown college of Eastern Illinois University and became a math teacher at Limestone Community High School in 1957. He worked there until his retirement in 1993. He was a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church of Bartonville, the Bartonville Civil Defense, Bartonville Auxiliary Police, Illinois Boys' State Staff, Red Cross, First Aid staff at Heart of Illinois Fair, and the Lincolnland Carnival Glass Club. At Limestone he also enjoyed helping with food preparation for Madrigal Dinners and scholarship fundraising spaghetti suppers.

James is also survived his children Katherine (Cecil T) Taylor of Washington, Illinois; Kristin (Ginger) Adams of Bartonville; and Kara (Carl) Guerry of Newburgh, Indiana; grandchildren, Marcus, Emily, Aragorn, Hawkeye, Caspian, and Scout; nieces Staci, Marta, Jaime; and his amazing friends, David and Amy Ayres. He was also preceded in death by his aunt and uncle Maxine & Robert Myers; brother Jon Adams, and grandchild Atticus.

Cremation rites have been accorded and a short service will be held at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Bartonville on Monday, July 17, 2023, at 4:00 p.m., with a celebration of life from 4:15 to 6:00 p.m. We will celebrate one of Jim’s joys by wearing Hawaiian prints to the celebration and invite you to do the same.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Limestone Community High School for their Scholarship Fund. Private burial will be at Swan Lake Memory Gardens of Peoria in the Garden of Ascension. Cards may be sent from and condolences left at illinicremation.com.