Obit Index

The Sunday Oklahoman
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
August 25, 2002

Henry Hitch Adams was born March 26, 1917 in Ann Arbor, Michigan to Henry Foster and Susan Hitch Adams. He died August 22, 2002. He received his BA from the University of Michigan and his PhD from Columbia University.

On August 22, 1943 he married Catherine Sanders who predeceased him. He served in the US Navy in the Pacific during WWII on the destroyer escort, the U.S.S. Owen. He continued service after the war in the Naval Reserve and retired in 1977 as a Captain. He taught at Cornell University and then at the U.S. Naval Academy. While at the Naval Academy, he became a noted military historian-a member of the International Order of Military Historians. He wrote many books on WWII and biographies of Harry Hopkins and Fleet Admiral William Leahy. He co-wrote the Naval history text book Sea Power. In 1968, he became chairman of the English department of Illinois State University. He was former President of the College of the English Association. In 1973, he and his wife Catherine started a travel agency and began two decades of enthusiastic world travel. In 1978, they moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. While there, he helped establish the Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College. He served two terms as President and was always available for wise counsel.  In 1999, Henry and his wife Catherine came to live in Oklahoma City at the Mansion at Waterford.

He is survived by his daughter, Robin Hartmann and husband Jim of Edmond; son, Sandy and Mary Jo Adams of Garlock, IL; grandchildren, Eric Hartmann of Austin, TX; Diane & Peter Scheuer of Wilmington, NC; Nancy & Travis Parker of Largo, FL; and great grandchild, Matthew Parker. He is also survived by his devoted caregiver, Ellen Magaro.

Services are 10:00 a.m. Monday, August 26, 2002 at the All Souls Episcopal Church in Oklahoma City with interment at Rose Hill Burial Park. Memorial contributions may be made to All Souls Episcopal Church of Oklahoma City or ASPEC in St. Petersburg, Fl. Guardian North Funeral Home.