Obituaries

Antone Charles Adams Sr.

Longtime Mattituck resident Antone Charles Adams Sr., known as Tony, passed away April 17 in Lenox, Mass. 

Tony was born May 16, 1925, to Katherine (Miska) and Frank Adams. As a child of the Great Depression, he worked on the family farm, where he would live for 85 years. He enjoyed all the North Fork had to offer. He graduated in 1943 from Mattituck High School, where he played basketball and baseball and was voted class athlete, played saxophone and served on the Student Council. After high school he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was deployed to San Diego, Calif., and Kodiak, Alaska, during World War II.

In 1947, after his tour of duty, he joined Penny Lumber, retiring 63 years later. While working there he also attended the College of Forestry in Syracuse. Tony enjoyed all of his years helping people with their building projects. His credo was: “If you don’t have customers, you don’t have business.” His bilingual capability in Polish also helped him connect with customers in the community. In 2006, both the Long Island Lumber Association and the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association honored him with lifetime achievement awards.

He married Georgia Corwin of Aquebogue in 1950. They were married for 64 years and had two sons, North Fork sportswriter Chuck Adams and Greg Adams and his wife, Michelle, of Lenox, Mass. He is survived by four grandchildren: Rebecca, of Mattituck; Bridgette and her husband, Michael San Marco of League City, Texas; and Ryan and Alexandra of Lenox. Also surviving is his sister Vera Taborsky of Venice, Fla. He was predeceased by siblings Joseph, Stella and Edward and his son Chuck.

Tony and Georgia enjoyed the past two years living in Lenox. Tony also enjoyed visiting family and making trips across the United States, to Puerto Rico and Hawaii, and internationally to Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Switzerland and France.

Tony was active in the community. He was one of the initiators of Mattituck High School Booster Club. He held many positions at Mattituck Presbyterian Church, including deacon, trustee and elder and served on pulpit committees. Tony chaired many annual church chicken barbecues.

With Georgia, he started the Southold Town Blood Program. Tony was a member of the Marratooka Club on the Peconic Bay, helped coach many youth sports teams and was an avid New York Jets and New York Yankees fan.

Tony’s philosophy came from his third-grade teacher, who told him, “You only get out of life what you put into it.” His family fondly remembers his journey from humble beginnings to a man of his word: responsible, strong, calm, teaching and dedicated. He will be missed.

The family received visitors April 22 at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck. A funeral service will be held at Mattituck Presbyterian Church today, Thursday, April 23, at 10 a.m.

This is a paid notice.