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LAGUNA BLANCA SCHOOL

John “Jack” H. Adams passed away Tuesday, July 8,

2014 surrounded by family and friends after a brief

battle with cancer. He was born in Buffalo, New York on 

January 10, 1918 as the middle child to John Howard

Adams and Ruth Clark Adams.

Jack’s early life was spent in Hamden, CT where 

he finished high school before entering Yale University 

with the class of 1941. Within a few months after 

completing college, he entered the military service with 

the United States Army Air Force, trained as a navigator 

during World War ll and was eventually stationed in 

northeast England. In November of 1943, his plane 

was shot down and he spent 18 months as a POW

in Stalag Luft I, a German prison camp. After he was 

released and returned to the States, Jack worked at the 

Yale recruiting office to assist returning veterans with 

enrolling in order to further their education.

 In 1946, he married the love of his life, Dorothy 

Wheeler in Woodbridge, Conn. They were soon blessed 

with three children and Jack began a life of teaching. 

The family moved from New Haven to Cleveland and 

back to New Haven before heading west to Santa 

Barbara in 1958. There, Jack accepted a teaching

position at Laguna Blanca School in Hope Ranch where 

he enjoyed several years teaching history and English. 

When Headmaster Samuel Rugg died in 1961, Jack 

was recruited to take over and held that position until 

his retirement in 1983. The Laguna campus, staff and

students (new and old) remained near and dear to his 

heart for the rest of his life.

 Once retired, Jack and Dotsy traveled and loved 

being grandparents; they especially enjoyed summer

vacations in Jackson Hole where their friends and 

families often gathered. In 2002, they moved into

Casa Dorinda where Jack would pursue various 

activities, dedicating his life to his family, his veteran 

organizations, education, playing bridge and the many 

causes he believed in. He was a donor to Direct Relief 

International and the American Red Cross and he 

was a member of the Santa Barbara Club, the Yale 

Club, Birnam Wood Golf Club and the Valley Club of

Montecito.

 In his later life, Jack’s greatest accomplishment was 

authoring his book titled Lest We Forget: A Navigator’s 
Tale, the story of his boyhood fascination with early 

aviation, his military career and the 18 months he

spent as a POW. Thanks to his co-author, Ann Moore, 

and a host of others, Jack was able to see the book to 

its completion, have it published and in the local book 

stores, a very proud time for him.

 Jack is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Dotsy, 

and his three children: Arthur C. Adams (Denise), Nancy 

Adams Vidoni (Pier) and John H. Adams lll (Bonnie);

a brother, Bruce C. Adams of South Carolina; five

grandchildren and two great grandchildren. 

Contributions in Jacks’s honor may be made to the 

“Jack and Dotsy Adams Scholarship Endowment” 

at Laguna Blanca School or All Saints by the Sea 

Episcopal Church. 

Originally published in The Santa Barbara News-Press 
Online Edition from July 15 to July 19, 2014  

IN MEMORIAM

LEST WE FORGET

 

HEADMASTER EMERITUS JACK ADAMS

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