Obituary of James Marvin Adams

James Marvin "Marv" Adams "Retired Olean School Guidance Counselor" Westons Mills, NY-- James Marvin "Marv" Adams, recently of Eden Heights died Wednesday (December 31, 2003) in the Cuba Skilled Nursing Facility. A former longtime Olean resident and a Weston’s Mills resident since 1975, he was born July 21, 1908 in Olean, NY and was the son of Leon Roy and Glendora Eliza Swift Adams. In January 1937 he married Veronica Mack who predeceased him February 11, 1960. On July 22, 1960 he married Margaret Fay who predeceased him September 22, 1998. Mr. Adams was a 1927 graduate of Olean High School He first attended Cornell University and later received a bachelor of science degree from St. Bonaventure College in 1932. He served in the US Army during WWII from 1944 until 1945. He went on to earn a masters of education degree from St. Bonaventure College in 1949. During the years 1946 to 1950 he worked as a science teacher for Frewsburg Central High School and from 1950 to 1953 he worked as a guidance counselor at Honeoye Falls Public School. He taught biology at Lake Shore Public School in 1953 prior to teaching science at Olean High School from 1954 until 1956. Since that time he worked as the Olean High School guidance counselor until his retirement in 1973. Mr. Adams was a former member of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and had been attending St. Andrews United Methodist Church since 1960. He was a 58 year member of the Olean Masonic Lodge 252 F & AM, having been made a mason on January 15, 1946. He was later made a 32nd degree Mason, served as Master of the Blue Lodge and served as former secretary for the Ancient Scottish Rite Bodies in the Valley of Jamestown. He also was a longtime member and past president of the Olean Retired Teacher’s Association., was a member of the Portville American Legion Post 814 and was a 27 year member of the Olean Rotary Club. His hobbies included collecting railroad memorabilia where he was a member of the Friends of the Railroad Museum in E. Stroudsburg, PA. He also enjoyed making many grandfather clocks for several family members. Surviving are 1 son James Marvin (Norene) Adams, Jr. of Victor, NY; 2 daughters Marjorie (William) Hoffman of Olean and Nancy Beaton of Bolivar, NY; 11 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren and a niece Janet Messina of West Palm Beach, FL. In addition to both his wives he was predeceased by 1 sister Janet Adams Byron. Friends will be received on Saturday from 2-4 & 7-9pm in the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home 3128 W. State Rd. Olean. Funeral services will be held Sunday (January 4, 2004) at 1:00pm in the funeral home. Rev. Paul Cauvel, minister of visitation at Christ United Methodist Church in Olean will officiate. Burial will be in Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Portville, NY. A Masonic service will be held Saturday at 7pm in the funeral home. Memorials, if desired, may be made to the Olean High School Alumni Association or to a charity of the donor’s choice.