Leo Earl Adams

In Loving Memory of LEO EARL ADAMS 4/29/1938 - 4/3/2025
Leo was born 4/29/1938 at Glockner Hospital, Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Gerald Grayson Adams and Naomi Rose Hansen Adams. At about age 3-4 he was placed in the Myron Stratton Home for Children in Colorado Springs, and lived there until about age 12, when his dad brought him home to live with his new family.
At age 13, he moved to Galveston to live with his mother and attended the last half of Junior High School and part of Senior High School there, returning to Colorado Springs his senior year to graduate. in June, 1956, after graduating, he joined the National Guard In Colorado Springs, and moved back to Galveston. He spent 8 years in the Texas Army Reserves, receiving his radio/ telephone operator's license, and was given an honorable discharge February 29, 1964, with the grade of Sergeant.
During his young adult years, he worked at Todd's Dry Dock for a while, but after finding this was not his calling he went to work at Stone Forwarding Company processing necessary documents for shipping cargo. On weekends he joined the Galveston County Sheriff's Reserve as a deputy.
He did so well he went to the Galveston Police Academy Training School and joined the Galveston Police Department. He was later chosen to join the Sheriff's Department where he was asked to expand the Identifications Unit there. During this time he attended the Polygraph Examiner's School at Texas A & M in Bryan/College Station,Texas, and became not only the Identification Officer, but also the Polygraph Examiner for Galveston County. He also attended courses at the University of Houston and Galveston Community College in Criminal Identification, Criminal Investigation, Police Administration, and Penology.
He worked in Law Enforcement until 1968 when he met and married Mary Sue Johnson and moved to Houston. They have been married for 56 plus years. From 1968 to 1970 he worked for Finger's Furniture Company in Houston, becoming manager of the Office Division Warehouse. In 1970 he took the opportunity to become an independent operator of an Enco service Station, which later became Exxon. The station was located in the Galleria area of Houston and was open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
After about 4-5 years he was offered a new station on the west side of Houston, which he operated until he sold the business in 1995. He worked for the new owner to get him established, and In 1998 he and Mary Sue retired and moved to Georgetown, Texas, to live in Sun City. During his 30 years as an Exxon dealer, every year he attended a conference held for the dealers around the country. Noted speakers were brought in for seminars, and there was one guest speaker who stood out. He spoke about "Attitude Is Everything," and it struck a deep cord with Leo who has proclaimed that truth ever since. For many years he carried a coin in his pocket with the words "Attitude Is Everything" on it.
Mary Sue still has the coin. In 1995, when Mary Sue was in nursing school, spending long hours studying and working in clinical training at different hospitals, Leo began making jewelry as a hobby. He had a friend, Monroe Jackson, who made lovely pieces of sterling silver inlaid with semi-precious stones, and he taught Leo the art of silversmithing. The two traveled together to trade shows around Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, selling their inventory, and making friends across the country. Mary Sue, Leo's children, and a few friends all have beautiful pieces of his work. While in Sun City, he and Mary Sue volunteered at the Georgetown Hospital, and Leo was asked to help set up the Security Department for the hospital. He was active in the community, the local Methodist Church, and the Sun City residents' organization until he and Mary Sue moved to San Antonio in 2004, where he has been very active in the local Homeowner's Association in the Heights At Stone Oak, and at University Methodist Church in the Believer's Sunday School Class. Both he and Mary Sue served on the Comfort and Joy Committee at University Church which furnishes a reception for families and those attending memorial services there.
Leo's positive experiences in the Myron Stratton Home helped shape his future perceptions of children without families, and encouraged him decades later to begin a campaign at University Methodist Church in San Antonio in 2018, to collect and distribute backpacks and duffel bags to children moving through the foster care system carrying their personal belongings in plastic trash bags. This project was facilitated by Pastor Holly Wilson at University Church, was received very well and continued for over a year. (In late 2019, Children's Protective Services made some regulatory changes which did not allow the project to continue.) Leo and Mary Sue were featured on the church bulletin for Sunday, May 13, 2018, with their picture and a link to the church website where an article had been published about the project. In May, 2019, Leo was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, and staunchly battled it for almost 6 years. He lost the battle on April 3, 2025.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Sue Adams; 4 children - Deborah Adams, and her spouse Allyson Burnett, Elizabeth Simmons and her husband Layne Simmons, Gerald Adams and his wife, Susan, and Seale Adams. There are also 6 grandchildren - Ross Adams, Chase Adams, Keaton Adams, Lexi Adams, Morgan Samson, and Austin Simmons; and 3 greatgrandchildren whom Leo lived to see come into this world - Brooks Samson, Luke Samson, and Tre Simmons.
There will be a memorial service for Leo on May 5, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at University Methodist Church, 5084 DeZavala, San Antonio, Texas, 78249, with a reception to follow at the church.
The family are asking that, in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to The Chapel of the Good Shepherd Ministry at University Methodist Church, 5084 De Zavala, San Antonio, Texas, 78249. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Leo, please visit our floral store.