GARY FRANKLIN ADAMS

Gary Franklin Adams, 63, of Norton, passed away Friday, May 7 2021, after a courageous battle with prostate cancer.

Gary was a member of Zion Family Ministries, where he served as an usher. He was employed by Contura where he worked with Spectrum Labs for over 40 years. Gary was an outstanding tennis player and fierce competitor. He was an assistant coach for the UVA Wise Women’s Tennis Team. In 2014 he was recognized as the Division II Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year for the Atlantic Region. Gary was also an assistant tennis coach under his daughter, Madison, for the John I. Burton High School Raiders Boys Tennis Team. His father, Beryl Adams, preceded him in death.

Gary is survived by his wife of 36 years, Debbie Adams, his daughter, Madison Adams Jones and her husband, Aaron, his mother, Barbara Adams, his sisters: Marcia Gilliam and her husband, Marvin, and Kim Gibson and her husband, Jerry; his brother-in-law, Rudy Frye, a niece, Amanda Frye, his nephew, Matt Frye and his wife, Angela, and a great nephew, Charlie Frye, and an extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins. His family also included his cat, “Georgia” and a grand-cat, “Scarlette.”

A graveside funeral service for Gary will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 11 at the Laurel Grove Cemetery in Norton, with Pastor Wayne Hagar officiating. Friends attending the service should plan to meet at the cemetery by 1:50 p.m.

The family would like to offer special thanks to Dr. Vijay Kumar and his caregivers, Hope Stevenson and Diane Vaughn.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Gary Adams Tennis Bicentennial Scholarship Fund at the University of Virginia College at Wise, gifts may be mailed to the Gary Adams Tennis Bicentennial Scholarship, c/o UVA Wise Foundation, 1 College Ave, Wise, Va. 24293. Gifts may also be made in memory of Gary Adams online at www.uvawise.edu/giving; to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or to Zion Family Ministries, Wise.

Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home of Norton is serving the Adams family.