Charles "Charlie" Higgins Adams

“Charlie” was born in Malden, Massachusetts, on December 29, 1942, to Charles and Mildred (Post) Adams. Charlie graduated from Peabody High School in 1960 and was a Cum Laude graduate of the University of New Hampshire, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree as a history major. There, his lifelong love for music skyrocketed when he studied classical music.

Charlie enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he proudly served his country as an Air Traffic Controller.

Charlie’s professional career took him all over the world and included governmental positions in the Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the U.S. Department of State/Foreign Service, where both Charlie and his wife, Mary Lou, were employed. As a Foreign Service Communications Officer, he and his wife served at numerous diplomatic missions and embassies abroad, including Ethiopia; Tanzania; the Philippine Islands; Beijing, People’s Republic of China; Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; and twice in Warsaw, Poland, where he met his wife in 1991. While overseas, they traveled extensively.

In Warsaw, Charlie’s great love of the symphony returned, a passion he continued to embrace during his time in Washington, D.C.; Denver, CO; and Phoenix, AZ.

After retirement in 2003, Charlie and Mary Lou moved to Fort Collins, CO, enjoying golf, tennis, and riding the many bike trails around town. In 2009, they became snowbirds splitting their time between Arizona and Colorado. In Arizona, Charlie quickly involved himself in softball, tennis, pickleball, and bike riding. Always active, a friend referred to Charlie as the “Energizer Bunny” as he could play tennis for three hours and then play 18 holes of golf. In 2019, Charlie and Mary Lou made Arizona their full-time home.

Charlie, who was larger than life, had a talent for connecting with people from all backgrounds and different walks of life. A man of many words, he loved conversing on numerous topics, including history, sports, old movies, among many others. Charlie’s stories captivated listeners and were told with such detail and humor that listeners often felt they’d lived the experience themselves.

Charlie was an avid fan of New England sports, especially the Boston Red Sox, going back to his earliest days when his dad and uncle would take him to Fenway Park. He went on to play Little League baseball, softball, and hockey. As an adult, Charlie and Mary Lou would attend Red Sox games at Fenway whenever their travels took them to New England, where he proudly resurrected his Boston accent.

However, the thing he enjoyed most was spending time with his family, who will forever miss his sense of humor, quick wit, and legendary storytelling.

Charlie is survived by his loving wife, Mary Lou, and his children Susan Blake (Adams) of New Hampton, NH; and Daniel Adams of Manchester, NH. He also leaves behind five adoring grandchildren Matthew and Morgan Blake; and Patrick, Trevor and Cameron Adams; sister “Kathy” Hodes of Jacksonville, FL; sister-in-law, and brother-in-law Elaine and Richard Heyne of Toledo, Ohio; nephews Christopher Carney of Fort Worth, TX; Jason & Michael Heyne of Toledo, Ohio; nieces Melissa Luedke (Carney) of St. John’s, FL; Karen McCarthy of Danvers, MA; and Karis Heyne of Toledo, Ohio. Charlie is predeceased by his sister Patricia McCarthy (Adams) and his parents.

His wife would like to sincerely thank visiting Nurses Dee and Winona, and Physical Therapist Brandon, with Amedisys Home Health for the loving considerate care they gave Charlie; the nurses and assistant nurses at Del Web Hospital; as well as the staff at Arizona Center for Cancer Care.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later time in both Arizona and Colorado. Interment will also be at a later date at the National Cemetery of Arizona. Donations can be made to the following organizations: The American Cancer Society (cancer.org); Hospice of the Valley (hov.org); or the Phoenix Symphony (phoenixsymphony.org).