Earl Clayton - 79 - Ohkay Owingeh Adams, Sr.

Earl C. Adams Sr. of Ohkay Owingeh passed away on Sunday, August 26th, 2012 at the age of 79. Earl was born on January 19, 1933 in Wheeling, West Virginia to James Robert and Ethel C. Miller – Adams. While growing up in West Virginia he enjoyed hunting, fishing and playing around with his horses and dogs. In 1949 at the young age of 16 he joined the military and became a Paratrooper in the Korean War. In 1957 while living in Los Angeles, CA he met the love of his life Petrolina Cruz as she was on vacation visiting family. They were married soon after and enjoyed living on the west coast in San Francisco for many years while he worked alongside the police department in the Tenderloin district in a group known as the Special Police. They relocated in 1980 to Lake Tahoe, California with their children Sonny, Priscilla and her daughter Quiana where he took up work as a Security Officer for Harrah’s Casino. In 1983 they returned to the Bay area, this time taking up residence in San Bruno where he continued his career in criminal justice working at San Quentin State Prison as an officer in charge of the prisoners on death row. He retired after ten years of service in 1993 and was dubbed Earl “The Pearl” by fellow officers and even some of the inmates. Shortly following his retirement Earl then moved his family once again, this time to San Juan Pueblo, NM where he lived out his remaining years enjoying the beautiful sunsets that the Land of Enchantment had to offer. He spent his time fishing with friends, working on cars with his son and sneaking in chocolate ice-cream whenever he could with his Great-Grandsons. Earl and Patsy recently celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary on August 18th of this year. Earl will be dearly missed by his family and friends and is survived in loving memory by his wife: Petrolina “Patsy” Adams; Children: Priscilla “Jean” Adams and Earl “Sonny” Adams Jr. all of Ohkay Owingeh; Grandchildren include: Quiana Warner (husband Jason), Leo Adams, Earl “Clay” Adams III; Great-Grandchildren include: Skyler Martinez, Jaydon and Layne Warner; Sister: Patricia L. Cox of Washington, Pennsylvania as well as many nieces and nephews. Cremation has taken place. Public visitation will be held on Saturday, September 1, 2012 in the Sangre de Cristo Chapel of DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory with a devotional service to follow at 7:00 p.m.

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