Robert Joseph "Joe" Adams

Robert Joseph (Joe) Adams of Birmingham, Alabama passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, and “relocated” to be with the Lord on Friday, April 29, 2022. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia on September 9, 1948, and moved to Birmingham with his family in 1959.

Joe attended Castle Heights Military Academy where he started a lifelong love of the game of soccer. He graduated Shades Valley High School and earned his B.S. Degree in Business at Jacksonville State University.

Joe worked in the family business from a young age and became the second-generation owner, President and CEO of ADCO Companies, LTD (also known as ADCO Boiler). He spent 45 years in the business, making countless friends along the way before he retired. During his ADCO days, he grew the company from a small business with six employees started by his father to a business operating in four states with 75 employees.

Joe had many accomplishments in his lifetime, but none more important than being a Christian, a loving husband for 52 years, a father, and grandfather to five grandchildren (Papa Joe). He was a member of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Homewood, Alabama, served as chairman for the Bessemer Chamber of Commerce, member of the Mountie Men’s Lunch Group (Shades Valley Men), and served as President of Midstate Soccer League where he led the building of two soccer fields now known as Soccer Blast.

Joe will be remembered most for his infectious laugh, sense of humor, love of family and friends and how he made everyone around him feel as if they were part of his family. He enjoyed watching his grandkids doing activities, including soccer, hockey, basketball, and karate, and loved spending time with them. During retirement, he enjoyed spending time at the beach with Betty Jo and taking trips with friends.

The family would like to thank Dr. Darryl Outlaw, Jr., UAB Oncology, and the wonderful nurses at UAB Acton for their care. They would also like to thank family friend Katie Cochran for all that she did for the family in Joe’s final days setting up nurses for Hospice care from Affinity.

Joe is preceded in death by his father, Robert B. (Bob) Adams, and his mother, Colleen Parish Adams. He is survived by his loving wife, Betty Jo Waller Adams; daughter, Courtney (Matt) Richard; son, Taylor (Katie) Adams; grandchildren, Alli Byrd, Ryan Byrd, Colin Adams, Jack Adams, and Charles Richard; and many loving cousins and friends.

A Service of Remembrance for Joe Adams will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at Asbury United Methodist Church, 6690 Cahaba Valley Road, Birmingham, AL 35242. Before the service, the family will greet friends from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the church. A reception will follow; Details will be announced at the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations for pancreatic cancer research can be made to Robert Reed Foundation at P.O. Box 530186, Birmingham, AL 35253 or https://reedgifoundation.com.