HUGH ADAMS

1914-2005
Funeral service for Hugh C. Adams will be 11 a.m. Thursday, June 23, 2005, in the chapel of Lohman Funeral Home Daytona. Friends may call after 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at Daytona Memorial Park. The family and friends of Hugh C. Adams mourn the loss of this wonderful man who went to be with the Lord June 20, 2005. Mr. Adams was born April 27, 1914, in Whitesburg, Ky., to George M. and Poppie Adams. He grew up there and survived his sisters, Elsie Niece, Corrine Clay and Chesney Combs, and brother, Fairchild Adams. At the age of five, his father took Hugh and his family to see John Philip Sousa's band. It was then that he decided he wanted to be a band leader. His father and mother allowed him to follow that dream. In his early teens, on weekends, he went by train to Lexington to study music. His teacher recommended that in addition to piano, he learn the violin and the coronet and take voice lessons. At the age of 16, he became the assistant choir director in Whitesburg and accompanied the church choir until he went on to college. After high school, he graduated cum laude from Georgetown University where he received his bachelor of arts degree. He also received a bachelor of science degree from University of Kentucky and a master's degree in education. He attended the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and taught classes at University of Lexington. He returned to Whitesburg after graduation and got the position of principal of Marlow Grade School. From there, he went on to Whitesburg High School where he taught music and started the first band in 1937. He was called into the Army in 1942 at the age of 28 and was assigned to the 1st Replacement Depot in Oran, Algeria, North Africa. His commander decided that there would be a band for the morale of the troops. Mr. Adams was chosen to interview and create this band the 313th Army Service Forces Band. He was given old, battered French instruments, gathered together 28 young men with some ability and helped turn it into one of the finest military bands at that time. His band spent their time during the war welcoming troops and sending them off to their assignments. They played for the largest naturalization ceremony held overseas, for Congressional Medal of Honor ceremonies and for numerous other important events for both Allied troops and American forces. The bands under Mr. Adams' leadership proved to be the most popular in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. On Aug. 12, 1945, Warrant Officer Adams was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his untiring devotion to duty in the Italian and African campaigns and was promoted to chief warrant officer. Mr. Adams was the first bandleader to be commissioned overseas and his band was the first to be activated overseas. His band had been broadcast over the radio and had been pictured in the newsreels, in one of which he was shaking hands with General Eisenhower, for whom Warrant Officer Adams played many times, and who said at that time that Mr. Adams had the best band in North Africa. General Eisenhower frequently requested his favorite songs to be played, one of which was "Beer Barrel Polka." It was jokingly said that within days of one of these performances for General Eisenhower, Mr. Adams was given a promotion to chief warrant officer. Although his band entertained the troops and played with such celebrities as Red Skelton, Al Jolson and Frank Sinatra, he was most proud to have played for President Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and General Eisenhower. His family is proud to have the letters of appreciation from dozens of servicemen thankful for his band and music. In Florence, Italy, his concert and swing bands were the winners of the theater "Battle of Music" at the Apollo Opera House. In recognition of this victory, Mr. Adams was handed the baton as guest conductor of the Florence Symphony Orchestra. He also taught exchange classes at University in Florence. While serving in Oran, Algeria, he met the woman who would become his wife, a beautiful young French girl, Suzanne. As he traveled over Europe with his band, he never forgot her. As the war was ending, he requested leave to go back to Oran to see Suzanne. Her father wanted to be sure of the young American soldier's intentions, but he allowed them to see each other. Sixty years later, they remained the love of each other's lives. He returned to Kentucky after the war and waited impatiently for his fiancee to follow. Her ship docked off the shore of New York and wasn't allowed into port. Hugh rented a small boat and went out to the ship to get her. They were married in Whitesburg, on June 17, 1947. Their wedding march was composed by the Italian trumpeter, Reginaldo Caffarelli, the teacher of trumpet at St. Cecilia's Conservatory of Music in Rome, with whom he became friends while serving in Italy. In Whitesburg, Hugh resumed teaching at Whitesburg High School and his wife started the first dance studio and he played music for the dancers. They moved to Florida in 1956. In 1957, Mr. Adams became an English teacher at Mainland High School. He spent the next 23 years at Mainland teaching English and humanities. In 1958, as Mainland's poet laureate, he wrote the school's "Alma Mater Song." He was one of the sponsors of the Citivan and AGAPE clubs for many years. He was also head of the English department at one time. He was voted "Teacher of the Year" for 1974-75 by his fellow teachers. While teaching "HUGHmanities" and English, his students performed many plays for the school. He retired from teaching in 1980 and though retired, Mr. Adams kept busy. He remained the pianist, organist and choir director of College Park Baptist Church, a position he had held over 20 years and he continued to write his poetry. Mr. Adams was a loving, caring and giving father to his two children, Robert and Alice. He gave unselfishly to them, teaching them his strong values and instilling in them his love of music. He is survived by his two children, Robert and Alice, both of Daytona Beach, by his many nieces and nephews and by his loving wife of 58 years, Suzanne. Send condolences via the family guestbook at www.lohmanfuneralhomes.com. Arrangements are under the careful direction of Lohman Funeral Home Daytona.


Published in the News-JournalOnline on 6/21/2005.