Gerald (Jerry) Edwin Adamson Richland, Washington Born 12/21/1934 and died 09/22/2024 Age 90 Jerry was born in Glendive, MT the son of Ralph Lawton Adamson and Edamae (Jones) Adamson. He grew up as an only-child. Tragically, Jerry’s father died when he was two years old. His mother raised him by herself with the help of many friends and family including his uncle Ralph Jones and his grandparents H. Edwin and Viola Jones. His membership in the Apostolic Faith Church Medford, OR was very formative in the areas of religious instruction and music.

Jerry graduated from Medford High School in the class of 1953 and joined the Army that December as an Army Bandsman. He married his high school sweetheart Shirley May Carnes of Eagle Point, OR in 1954. They were stationed in Tacoma where their oldest son Ralph was born. Jerry moved Shirley and Ralph back to Eagle Point while he served in Korea for a year. When Jerry returned from Korea they moved a few miles away to Central Point where Jeff, their second son was born. Jerry attended college at Oregon Technical Institute in Klamath Falls and in 1960 graduated with an associates degree in machine technology. They made many life-long friends at OTI while living in the married-students dormitory.

The family moved to Las Vegas in 1960 and made it their home for 7 years where they started raising Todd and Tamera (Tami). Jerry worked for Lawrence Radiation Laboratory at the Nevada Test Site. He built and installed various test equipment for the atomic bomb tests and had many interesting stories about his work and events. When the Nevada Test Site downsized in 1967 he took a position at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, WA. He was the lead technician in the Battelle and Westinghouse high vacuum thin film technology lab. His R&D work garnered patent awards for undersodium ultrasonic inspection devices for reactor vessel components; and the development of a crucial part of the “Star Wars” neutral particle beam gun commissioned by the U.S. Army Strategic Defense Command. Recipient of numerous awards including the George Westinghouse Signature Award of Excellence in 1986 (UC colleagues Roger Johnson & John Rawlins). The team had developed a large scale carbon neutralizer foil that was only a few atoms in thickness but also strong enough to be launched into space. Samples of the technology were flown on the Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-44. The experiment was dedicated to Todd Adamson.

A big part of Jerry’s life was his proud service in the US Naval Reserve, achieving the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer. He was a plank owner and the executive officer of Reserve Cargo Handling Battalion-5 (RCHB-5) while it was in Richland. Every summer brought Jerry to serve two weeks of active duty. This was usually in conjunction with our family summer vacation and a trip to Eagle Point. Us kids were always so exited for him return, especially to see the cool stuff he brought us from the Navy exchange.

In Richland, Jerry and Shirley lived in the same house for nearly 55 years. Their 70th wedding anniversary was April 10, 2024.

In their retirement years, Jerry and Shirley traveled the entire country year after year in their 5th wheel, camping with family, taking grandkids on road trips, attending family reunions, visiting family, sightseeing and seeking out family history locations and artifacts. They made many epic trips to the southern deserts to see the spring flowers in bloom; sometimes with Grandma Carnes and Shirley’s sister Christine riding along. Jerry and Shirley took care of his Mom, Grandma Edie, in the last months of her life.

Jerry was a musician for nearly his whole life. He played organ and piano at an early age in the church youth orchestra, and also Baritone horn. He was an Army bandsman. A highly accomplished euphoniumist, he held the lead euphonium chair in the Columbia Basin College concert band for many seasons and played in the Richland Light Opera Co. orchestra. In later years when he could no longer read sheet music he would play from memory many of his favorite pieces on his euphonium and on the piano.

Neighborhood favorites were his recital of Auld Lang Syne and the Star Spangled Banner on new years and the 4th of July.

Jerry is remembered by his family as always being in possession of a nice car. Never extravagant but always impressive – in quality and style. He was very proud of his family and put his family first. As a super grandpa and great grandpa he always supported and went the extra mile for his family. Every one was special to him. He often jokingly exclaim, “We have more fun than people!” He loved to wait until late in the evening and ask, “Does anyone have a bad taste in their mouth?” which was the signal that it was time to break out the ice cream (mint chocolate chip was his favorite). There are many many happy memories of Thanksgiving feasts, Christmas celebrations, and so much more at the Adamson home.

Jerry is remembered by his caregivers at Home Instead and Guardian Angels for the special relationship they had with him. They loved him so much. We are thankful for those folks and the special relationships they had with Jerry in his later years. We feel as though you are family.

Jerry is survived by his son Ralph Adamson (Judy), his son Jeffrey Adamson and daughter Tamera Camorlinga. He had 13 grandchildren and 32 great grandchildren. Jerry was preceded in death by Shirley, his son Todd Adamson, and grandson Marcus Adamson.

We are honoring him now for the life he lived, for the love he gave us, and for how he touched each and every one of our lives. He will be missed very much and his memory will live on in our hearts.

Services will be conducted at 9:30 on October 25, 2025 at Sunset Gardens Event Center in Richland followed by a reception luncheon.

For the reader: We would be really blessed and grateful if you would think of a favorite story about Jerry (we know you have some) and share it with the family. Thank you so much!