Doris “Dody” K. Adams ~ Carbondale November 20, 2021

Doris “Dody” Adams, 97, passed away peacefully at her home with family present on November 20, 2021. She was a member of St. Francis Xavier Church.

Doris was born September 6, 1924 in East St. Louis, IL, the daughter of the late Kenneth and Millicent Cook.

Co-owner of Adams Printing Company in Carbondale for 50 years, Doris began her printing career in East St. Louis. While other young women of her generation chose to work in the typing pool, Doris opted for the Printing Division, a hub of activity. Her first job was printing tags for feed bags and jelly jars; one of her favorite assignments was working for Alcoa Aluminum Ore Company.

In 1944, during WWII, Dody traveled to San Francisco to marry her fiancé, Warren Adams, who was serving in the Navy. While there she worked for the Army Engineers and then at the iconic Hotel del Coronado in San Diego printing daily menus and various forms. After the war Warren and Dody moved to Carbondale where they began their family and later opened Adams Photo-Litho Printing in the basement of their home. With the advent of xeroxing and on-line printing, the offset printing business quickly became obsolete. Dody reluctantly retired five years ago at the age of 92, but only after the death of her elder son and business partner, Frank Adams.

She is survived by her son, Kirk Adams; two daughters, Carole (Dan) Bilderback of Murphysboro and Abby (Daniel) Cook of Carbondale; two daughters-in-law, Vickie Kolb of Murphysboro and Janet Harris of Carbondale; grandchildren, Gene Bagwell, Jennifer Bagwell Culp, Justin Bilderback, Cassi Bilderback Hines, Andrew Hannon, Margaret Adams Owens, Marion Adams Sai, and Alice Adams Wougamon;19 greatgrandchildren, 4 great-great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews

Visitation will be held Saturday, November 27, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 11: 00 a.m. at Walker Funeral Home in Carbondale. Service and Mass will follow at 11:00 a.m. with Father Robert Flannery officiating.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or to St. Francis Xavier Church.

Walker Funeral Home of Carbondale entrusted with arrangements.

Condolence(1)

  1. Roger Norman says

    Kirk and all, I want to express sympathies from Martha and myself. Hope you find comfort and peace from the great memories you shared.

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