Wayne T. Adams ’63 died on July 28, 2020 in Portland, Maine.
(The following was published by the Portland Press Herald on July 30, 2020)
Wayne Thomas Adams, 79 years, a longtime Kennebunkport resident and well-known attorney died Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at Maine Medical Center in Portland following a brief illness.
Wayne was born May 24, 1941 in Biddeford, ME, a son of Donald Thomas and Velda (Garvin) Adams. He attended Kennebunkport schools, graduating from Kennebunk High School. Wayne earned a bachelor’s degree at Bowdoin College and went on to earn his law degree from the University of Chicago.
Wayne served his country in the United States Army and retired from the Army Active Reserve with the rank of lieutenant colonel, having served as a military intelligence officer. He saw active duty in Vietnam. He served five years in the foreign service of the State Department during which time he was a vice consul in Brussels.
During his remarkable career, he practiced law for thirty-five years at Reagan and Adams in Kennebunk before venturing out on his own for several years. He had spent the last fifteen delightful years at Bergen and Parkinson before retiring this year.
Wayne had a firm belief in public and community service, serving as long-time town meeting moderator for both Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, he served as a past commodore of the Kennebunk River Club, a member of the Arundel Yacht Club, member and past president of the Kennebunk Rotary Club, a vestryman and member of St. David’s Episcopal Church as well as St. Ann’s Episcopal Church. Wayne was a long-time active member and past master of Arundel Lodge, No. 76 in Kennebunkport, where he was instrumental in re-establishing the Lafayette chapter of Demolay at the Lodge and was also honored to be elected as Grand Master for the State of Maine. He was a past member of the Masonic Education and Lodge Services (MEALS) Committee and was chairman of the Disbursement Committee of the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation, a member of four bodies of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of Portland and served as Sovereign Prince. He was a member of Murray Chapter #20, RAM, Maine Council #7, R&SM, St. Armand’s Commandery #20, Knights Templar, a Noble of Kora Temple AAONMS and an honorary member of the Supreme Council 33nd Degree in Pittsburgh, PA and was a past director of PUT Stevens, Royal Order of Jesters.
In his spare time Wayne enjoyed developing Adams Woods Preserve, working his Christmas tree farm on his property and spending time with his friends and family.
He was predeceased by his loving wife, Catherine Jones Adams, in 2017.
Survivors include his son, Bradford Adams and his wife, Clara Long, and their children, Sage and Luca of Oakland, CA; daughters Sarah O’Sullivan and husband, Brian, and their son, Logan Douglas of Kennebunkport, and Emily Adams and her husband, Joel Aguilar, and their children, Goya and Lorenzo of Oaxaca, Mexico; his brother, Bruce Adams of Kennebunkport; by his companion, Diane Denk, and by a wide circle of friends throughout the state.
Wayne was a fellow TD and a friend over the past 50 plus years. He always stood apart for his calm and his wisdom. Reading his obituary, I can see how much he contributed to his community and state and to so many people throughout his life.
We had a wonderful lunch just two years ago in his beloved Kennebunkport and despite the years, he had changed very little. He took us to his beloved farm and past the Kennebunkport Playhouse location where in 1962 we opened Neil Love’s Head and Shoulders!
Wayne through the years would call and would greet me by by full name and then proceed to name other alumni by their first middle and last names. He gave us all a sense of gravitas….the kind he had. I will miss him.