Tributes

Richard Thomas Adams was born August 26, 1931 in Baltimore, Maryland. His parents were the late Richard Adams and Cecilia Corbert Adams and his three sisters were Rosetta, Willien and Celeste. Richard attended the Baltimore City public schools and was graduated from the Frederick Douglass High School. Immediately after graduation from high school, Richard enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in February of 1950. He saw active duty during the Korean Conflict. During his enlistment, he encountered and served with Alex Haley, the late author of the literary masterpiece "Roots". Chief Petty Officer Haley came to appreciate Richard's writing skill and opted to offer mentorship. This and other experiences while serving in the Coast Guard stimulated a deeper interest in writing. As, a result, Richard became a writer for the ship's newspaper. These literary experiences fostered in Richard a desire to further study speech and the dramatic arts. He was honorably discharged from the Coast Guard in 1953. It was then that he pursued collegiate studies. Richard Adams accepted the call to the ministry in 1970. He prepared himself by engaging in part-time study at the Howard University School of Religion and at St. Mary's Seminary Ecumenical School of Religion and College. Upon completion of his prescribed program of religious studies, he was ordained in the Wainwright Baptist Church in Charleston, West Virginia in 1977. On October 22, 2009, in recognition of his many years of community and Christian service, the Easter Theological Seminary of Lynchburg, Virginia conferred and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree upon Reverend Richard T. Adams. Reverend also served for two years as the Interim Director of the Interfaith Center (the Morgan Christian Center). Reverend Adams joined Providence Baptist Church on November 2, 1980. He and his wife became active worshippers. Very often, the co-pastors of Providence would invite Reverend Adams to share his spiritual gifts of preaching and teaching with the congregation. He loved plants and flowers and he was and enthusiastic member of the Floral Club. Many Providence parishioners were the beneficiaries of his gifts to them of Christmas Poinsettias and Easter Lilies. Reverend Adams was committed to personal enrichment. His goal was to effectively enhance the lives of others To the end, he had held a life membership in the Association for Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). In 2004, ASALH honored him with one of it's highest honors, the Mary McLeod Bethune Service Award. He was a charter member of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. He held membership in Howard L. Cornish chapter of MSUNAA and was a life member of the Morgan State University National Alumni Association, the Urban League and the NAACP. In addition, he was a life member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Richard's love for the Lord, his genuine interest in people and his enthusiastic involvement in the projects that served to edify and uplift humanity, endeared him to many. On July 13, 2019, while at the Mount Pleasant Hospice at Sinai Hospital, Reverend Richard T. Adams entered into Eternal Rest. He was predeceased by his sisters, Celeste, Fennell and Willien Barnes. To mourn their very significant loss and treasure precious memories, Richard leaves a dear wife, Judith: two sons, Ryan, and wife Krystal, and Jason; one sister, Rosetta Green, and her husband, Edward ; two grandsons, Christopher Miles Adams and Ryan Adams Jr.; three nieces Giselle Green, Cheryl Hall and Joyce Stotts; two nephews, Gary Green and Eric Fennell; and extended family members and friends.

Tributes

Rev. Richard Thomas Adams Jr.

August 26, 1931 - July 13, 2019