Thomas E. (Bill) Adams

Thomas E. (Bill) Adams of El Dorado, died in Austin, Texas on January 3, 2013 in the presence of his family. Bill was born August 13, 1919 in Three Creeks, Arkansas and lived most of his 93 years in El Dorado.

He is preceded in death by his mother, father, brother and sisters, and his wife Mildred Shelby Adams. He is survived by his son, John T. Adams and wife Vicki Smith Adams of Austin, Texas. In addition, he is survived by his grandchildren Julie Adams Powell and her husband Mark Powell of Dallas, Texas; Laurie L. Adams of Coppell, Texas; John B. Adams of Austin, Texas and Leana M. Adams of Dallas, Texas.

Bill was a U. S. Navy veteran and his last position was Aviation Chief Radio Technician, in charge of the radar shop at the Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia. There he made some of the pioneering installations and implementations of LORAN. Following his time in the Navy, Bill opened a radio repair shop in El Dorado where he operated radio repair and later television repair shops in various locations. Bill was proud to say he had the first television in South Arkansas on which he received "snowy" programs from Pine Bluff with the help of a very large antenna on a tower.

Bill was a member of the First Baptist Church of El Dorado, and thoroughly enjoyed his men's Sunday School class there.

He was also a long-time member of the El Dorado Golf and Country Club, where he loved to play golf and share meals with his many friends. Bill was an avid collector of antique automobiles, a hobby which he shared with his son and brother.

Graveside services will be on Saturday, January 12, 2013 at 10:00 am in Arlington Cemetery, El Dorado. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Bill's name to the First Baptist Church or Gideon's International.