Lavern Adams

LaVern Wesley Adams passed away on Saturday, June 5, 2010 at the age of 89. He was born on April 14, 1921 in Waukesha to Wesley Chapman and Agnes (nee: Morris) Adams. He spent his early years on his parent’s farm, on Delafield Street, developing his agricultural skills. His boyhood avocation was baseball and he developed a lifelong love for the game. “Ace” Adams was a standout player in Legion and Land O’ Lakes teams and was described in a Waukesha Freeman article as the “leading fireball pitcher in the Lakes”. He graduated from Waukesha High School in 1938. He met Martha Pauline Rickert in 1938 and they married on August 30, 1941. They purchased their own farm on Oakdale Drive in the Town of Waukesha in 1945 and lived there until 2007. LaVern was a successful dairy farmer raising Holstein cattle and was a pioneer in developing a milking parlor system for milking cows. He was a founding a member of the town of Waukesha Volunteer Fire Department, served on the School Board for Oakdale School and was a member of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church since 1953. In 1963 a major fire destroyed the family dairy barn, which led to his second career as a successful breeder and trainer of standard bred horses. He purchased his first trotter “Chancy” in 1963 and trained his last trotter “Close to my Heart” in 2007. He became a familiar, well-liked and respected member of the harness racing community. He involuntarily retired at age 87 due to the effects of a stroke. LaVern is survived by his wife of 69 years, Martha; his son Jeffrey and his wife Judith and their three sons  Samuel, Will and Daniel; his son Bryan and his wife Mary, his daughter Beth and Mary’s children Ashley, Nick, Amanda and Melissa; and his daughter Susan Schroeder and her daughter Jessica. He is also survived by his sister-in-laws Bernice Adams, Esther Rickert and Hertha Rickert and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers Kenneth and Delbert.  Visitation will take place on Friday, June 11, 2010 from 9:30 am until the 11:00 am funeral service at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, 1205 S. East Avenue in Waukesha with Pastor Peter Schmidt presiding. Graveside services will follow at Prairie Home Cemetery. The family suggests memorials to the LindenGrove Foundation 13700 West National Avenue, New Berlin, WI 53151 or the charity of donor’s choice.   The family wishes to thank the staff of Linden Court in Mukwonago for their compassionate care given to LaVern from October 2007 until his death.