DR. G. RICHARD ‘DICK’ ADAMS

ELLSWORTH – Dr. G. Richard “Dick” Adams, 87, died peacefully Sun-day, Oct. 14, 2007, at an Ells-worth health care facility. He was born Oct. 21, 1919, the only son of Martin L. and Inez K. Adams. Dr. Adams attended Ells-worth schools, graduating from Ellsworth High School in 1937. After graduation, he spent a year at Coburn Classical Institute before entering Bowdoin College, from which he graduated in 1942, with a bachelor’s degree in economics and sociology. While at Bowdoin, he played on the school’s first intercollegiate basketball team, where he lettered in the sport. He attended Midshipman School at Columbia University in 1942, and served on minesweepers in the Atlantic and Central Pacific from 1942 to 1945, during which time he attained the rank of lieutenant. After completing his military service, Dr. Adams attended the University of Pennsylvania Dental School from 1946 to 1950. In 1950 he married Esther Kinsey of Quakertown, Pa., and returned to Ellsworth to start his dental practice on Main Street above his father’s store. He was a beloved dentist there from 1952 until his retirement in 1982. He was instrumental in introducing fluoridation to Ellsworth’s water supply in the late 1960s. He belonged to the Ellsworth Jaycees and served one term on the Ellsworth City Council, and during that time also served as mayor for Ells-worth’s bicentennial celebration in 1963. In 1969 he and his wife were divorced. He was a devoted walker and a fixture on the Surry Road as he strode to and from his office, politely refusing offers of rides as he enjoyed his daily treks. Once described by E. B. White as “the most accommodating dentist in Hancock County,” for his shearing of Mr. White’s sheep, Dr. Adams raised sheep as a hobby. Many school field trips were made to his farm so the children could see the new lambs born there each spring. When not practicing dentistry, Dick pursued his interest in working with wood. He crafted scale-model projects of his own design and was two thirds of the way through building a 19-foot centerboard sailboat when his diminishing eyesight forced him to halt the project that he jokingly referred to as having the longest gestation on record. After placing an ad in Wooden Boat magazine, Dick sold the boat to a gentleman from Georgia, who drove to Ellsworth with a rented trailer in tow to purchase the partially completed boat. In retirement, Dick also built a cottage on Contention Cove, Surry, on a lot where a family cottage had once stood. In true Yankee fashion, Dick salvaged as much construction material from the old cottage as was possible, and the resulting cottage reflected not only lower building costs, but retained much of the charm of the old structure. He supplemented old materials with lumber that he harvested from the woods behind the family farm. Dick was an avid gardener, shepherd and punster. His knack for storytelling, peppered with characters’ indigenous accents, was legendary. Until his eyesight failed him, he was a voracious reader, a cutthroat Scrabble player and enjoyed challenging crossword puzzles. He loved National Public Radio, sauerkraut and Gordon’s gin. His motto was “Never refuse a drink.” But perhaps more than anything else, Dick will be remembered as a loving father to his three children and as a devoted single parent long before divorce was as commonplace as it is today. Summers with his children meant sailing on Contention Cove, picnics at Schoodic Point and hiking on area trails, as well as much cooking using vegetables he had grown. Dr. Adams is survived by two sisters, Alice A. Anderson of Bangor and Jean C. O’Meara of Hancock Point; three children, John Q. Adams of Ellsworth, Juliet K. Adams of Surry and Suzanne K. Adams of Lexington, Mass.; son-in-law, Tom Rich; and granddaughters, Helen and Nina Rich of Lexington, Mass., as well as many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by two sisters, Rachel Barker of Presque Isle and Edith C. Adams of Ellsworth. The family extends heartfelt thanks to the devoted health care professionals at Maine Coast Memorial Hospital, Eastern Maine Medical Center and especially Courtland Rehabilitation and Living Center for their compassionate care of Dr. Adams. A memorial service will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, at Unitarian Universalist Church of Ellsworth.