Richard Linwood Adams Jr.

Richard L Adams, age 63, of Richmond, VA departed this world on February 3, 2020. Born June 4, 1956, he was the son of the late Richard L. Adams and Joyce S. Adams. He is survived by his loving wife Kay W. Adams, his sister Paula A. Lacy and her husband Joseph T. Lacy Jr. and their two children Tara Tench and Joseph III, and his great niece and great nephew Lacy and Bryce Tench.

Richard was a 1974 graduate of Douglas Freeman High School, and a 1978 graduate of University of Richmond, and received his MBA from the VCU School of Business in 1996. He worked in various positions for Reynolds Metals Company for 24 years and was self-employed from 2002 forward.

In his own words:

I was never one for convention. I lived my life to the fullest extent and did so with a commitment to honor, integrity and truthfulness, and perhaps a measured dose of a rebellious nature. I strived to be a strong and determined individual, and believed that life was a gift to be enjoyed and shared with the people that I loved. In January of 2017, I was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. Although this news was devastating, it became very important to me to impress upon others that no matter what life may have in store, that through hope, strength and determination, regardless of the outcome, one will be personally victorious in their battles. An indelible spirit caused me to adopt the wolf as my symbol of strength in my battle against cancer. The message that I tried to convey to my family and friends was simple, yet strong: “I am the eternal warrior, committed to the struggle and I will never quit.” To me, quitting was simply not an option; it never has been. I truly believe that everyone has the power within their person to meet any and every challenge in life, overcome those challenges, and to be a victor.

I believe that those of you that knew me and my dear wife Kay understood the remarkable relationship that we had throughout our marriage. Love, compassion, understanding and support for each other ruled our existence. We were married on June 18, 1988 and we were fortunate to celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary. I have said to many people on numerous occasions that I owed my life and happiness to Kay. It was her passion and imaginative spirit that set my soul free to live life unbridled and to cherish every moment that we shared. Kay was my world. Our challenging struggle against cancer took us down many a daunting path, but we travelled those paths together, as we had done throughout our lives, side by side. Kay’s love, understanding and support gave me the strength and endurance to continue the fight, and I did. I Never Quit.

A gathering to honor Richard’s life and to visit with his wife and family will be held on Saturday 15 2020, at 2 pm at Woody Funeral Home located at 1771 North Parham Rd. Richmond, VA. Richard’s farewell messages to his family and friends and his wife Kay will be read. Please join us for this special service, which will be officiated by Dr. Mark C. Wallace, brother-in-law to Richard. On this day we will wish Richard godspeed for his final journey. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Richmond SPCA 2519 Hermitage Road Richmond, VA 23220