Obituary: Joseph B. Adams, Jr., of Branford

Information via W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home

Joseph B. Adams, Jr., of Branford, formerly of Fairfield, died Sunday June 3, 2018 at the Hospital of St. Raphael Campus, YNHH, New Haven. He was the husband of Barbara Kohlbaker Scala Adams. Mr. Adams was born in Baltimore, MD, November 21, 1922, son of the late Joseph B. Adams, Sr., and Mary Elizabeth Davenport Adams.

He graduated from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in 1940, and enrolled at Lehigh University in the fall of 1940. After his sophomore year, he enlisted in the U. S. Army Air Corps. He served as a First Lieutenant and piloted a B-17 bomber in 35 missions in the Mediterranean Theater.

He received the Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters and the European African Middle Eastern Service Medal with 2 Bronze Stars. After the war he graduated from Lehigh University, where he was a member of the Chi Psi fraternity.

He worked as the Senior Vice-President for the Harry Maring, Jr., Inc. general contractors in Bridgeport for 30 years. He then was president of Allied Engineering and Construction in Bridgeport for 10 years, until retiring in 1988. He was a Past President of the Connecticut General Contractors Association. Joe was an avid golfer and was a member of Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield for over 50 years. During his golf career, Joe achieved five holes-in-one.

Besides his wife, Joe is survived by his daughters, Pamela Snellgrove of Tiberon, CA, and Deborah (John) Wilton, of Belvedere, CA; his step-children, Barbara C. Scala of Westbrook, CT, Kenneth (Sherry) Scala of Trumbull and Keith (Yulan) Scala of Shelton, CT; and his grandchildren, Simon and Julian Snellgrove, Alexander and Sophie Wilton, JoAnna Suriani and Robert Suriani, Jr., and Victoria Scala.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Helene Maring Adams.Relatives and friends are invited to a visitation Thursday evening from 4:00 - 7:00 at the W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 North Main Street, Branford and may attend his funeral service Friday morning at 11:00 in Oak Lawn Cemetery, Fairfield. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), @ http://secure.dav.org. For directions and online memorial see www.wsclancy.com.To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of Joseph Adams, Jr., please visit our Tribute Store.