Funeral Service-Henry Harold Adair

December 15, 2023 12:00 pm Aldersgate Methodist Church

Welcome & Prayer-Pastor Misty

Hymnal How Great Thou Art

Psalm 23.

The Old Rugged Cross Steve Basky

Scripture Reading & Words of Remembrance LukeFinkelstein

Obituary

Henry Harold Adair

Thank you for attending this celebration of the life of Mr. Henry Harold Adair.

The Adair family, his children and their spouses, his grandchildren, his great grandchildren, his sisters Catherine and Nancy and special friend, special friend Ms. Glenda Page, all of us would like to say “thank you” for all the expressions of love we have experienced during this time. We especially thank you for your presence here today to encourage and bring comfort.

The first trait that came to my mind as I reflected on the life of my Father in Law was the fact that he was a steadfast man. There was a common thread among the family that Mr. Harold was steadfast, words like structured, regimented, a person of routine were embedded into his daily live style. Susan stated you could set a clock by him.

Immediately, the words of Paul rung out my ears as Paul wrote to the church of Corinth. God’s Word says:

1 Corinthians 15:58 “58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

Was he a steadfast individual? Yes. Oh yes, immovable. He was the most consistent, composed and Christ centered man I have ever met.

Mr. Henry Harold Adair, Henry was the name his colleagues called him in his professional career as an educator. Harold was the name the church knew him as and his friends called him. Most of us in laws agreed that we called him Mr. Adair out of the awe and respect for the man he was. But to family, once grandchildren came along, we simply knew him as “Pawpaw.”

Oh friends and family, his labors were not in vain for the Lord, for his daughter in law, Donna said,”oh what a legacy and the legacy he left behind.”

Linage

Mr. Harold was of the builder generation and some refer to as that last great generation. The time, the place and the circumstances of his upbringing impacted his life and formed him into the man that he would become. He was reared in a rural community by parents Virgil and Jessie Adair on the outskirts of Wadley Alabama, born one year after the great depression. His parents carried him to the New Hope Church in Chambers County as a child and a strong abiding faith in God was instilled.

Mr. Adair’s steadfast manner was ingrained at a very young age. Chambers County was a farming community and he learned to garden and farm at a young formative age and to make his own repairs around the home. He would attend school until lunch and then take a bus to a neighboring mill town and work after dark. He would take a bus back to his rural home at the end of dirt road and walk about a mile home in the dark. He would wake up at 5 am and do it all over again the next day. As a product of the builder generation, the building continued as he met his bride in 1950 at the age of 20, he married Miss Sue Pinckard. They were married 55 years until she went home to be with the Lord. And through that great union they built a great life and a legacy.

They came to Montgomery once married and he worked for a local dairy company while commuting to Auburn to classes (before I-85 was finished I will add.) to attain a B.A , M.A, and doctoral studies in Education. A great part of his life was impacting others through education.

He was employed with the Montgomery County Public Schools from 1955 until his retirement in 1986. He began his career as a math and science teacher at Cloverdale Junior High and soon moved to principal of Capital Heights Elementary. He served as assistant principal and principal of Sidney Lanier High School for over 11 years. In 1972, Henry became associate superintendent and was later appointed as superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools until his retirement. One of the great joys of his life was running into fellow colleagues and former students over the years and to listen attentively to the new chapters they had written in their lives.

In those early days of marriage and career, Mr. Harold lived on Palmetto Street because it was important to be close to the local church and to be involved. At that time they were just blocks away from Forest Avenue Methodist Church which is today, this beautiful edifice, the Aldersgate Methodist Church. Mr. Adair had been a member of this church for more than 70 years. And I will add there have been few services that he missed over his tenure here. This church and the Pathfinder class were a very precious and important part of his life. The church here at Aldersgate was his extended family and as life changed from a family of six to a widower, you were there every step of the way. This family is thankful for this church and the love you showed Mr. Harold. And it was through this church that he met a special friend in Glenda Page. Ms. Glenda, we love and appreciate the companionship, the meals, the watching the football games and all that you enjoyed as you brought comfort to each other as widow and widower.

One of Harold’s greatest joys was spending time with his family, grandchildren, and great grandchildren attending football, baseball, basketball, softball, rowing, Lacrosse, school events, dancing, gymnastics, school programs and the like. He traveled to S. Florida, the Carolinas, Georgia and almost every corner of Alabama encouraging them as they grew and matured in their respective activities.

Henry was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years Sue Pinckard, his grandson David Adair and a sister Sara Denney.

Allow me a moment to share some of the thoughts his family had about him.

Son, Hal wrote:

Hal shared a life lesson his dad taught him at a young formative time that stuck with him. Hal had risen to the heights of being a patrol boy at school. He loved popping that flag and orchestrating his moves to the blowing of the whistle of his patrol leader. A new desire came along to try out for baseball and there was going to be a conflict with Patrol camp. Dad made me go and speak to an adult at Patrol Camp giving a reason why I would not be able to attend patrol camp. My father did not believe in quitting anything you began. The lesson: be responsible for your actions.

Dad set the example of being responsible for us: 1) He worked long hours at his job but yet made all of my sporting events, 2) He and I traveled just about every weekend to the Chambers County home of his mother to take care of any need that she had from cutting grass, maintaining a garden, painting, repairing... 3) He retired early to take care of Mom since her health needed more attention, 4) He took care of my sisters as they needed help or something fixed, 5) He took care of other Church members and neighbors when requested or knew of a special need.  He was a living  example that showed us the path to take in life.  When asked to pray at a meal, Dad never just asked for blessings of the food but included his love for God, How Great Thou Art - and his gratitude for God's blessing on all family and friends and guidance for each of us.

I will never forget him always saying, “If you want to soar with the eagles in the daytime, you can't hoot with the owls at night.”  I hope that God will agree with me - Well done, good and faithful servant.

Daughter Susan wrote:

Susan stated that He was a teacher beyond the professional calling. He was teacher beyond the words he shared, but his very life taught what is really important.

His daily walk showed me what it was to be a good father, a good husband, a good brother. He was a humble servant, an earthly example of being Christ-like. From the start to the end, he was a role model in how he lived his life.

Dad had a gift for making each one of us feel we were his favorite. And each relationship was uniquely special. He connected on a personal level with each one of us. He was a great listener and he was always engaged as He remembered details and would respond with good questions. His love was unconditional, and you always knew you could count on his support.

He was the ever-present constant in my life. I used to tell my friends you could set your clock by him. That’s how disciplined his routines were. Whether it was his daily morning walk for over 30 years, or his morning coffee or evenings watching Western, it always felt like home. When he was working, we would sit down for every meal at the same time and always as a family. He also loved his church and Sunday School class.

These familiar, almost choreographed, routines gave me a strong sense of security knowing he was there. Always dependable. Always ready. Always prepared.

During his own career, I learned what a strong work ethic looked like. I never knew there was any other way to work but to be a strong contributor and give of yourself 100%.

Terri, his daughter said:

Dad was the glue that always kept our family united in harmony. He is the greatest treasure to our family. Mother and he formed the perfect union united in love with God first.

Son in Law Kaz:

He was the Patriarch of the family, the church and the community and one he looked up to.

Grandchildren stated:

Lacey said I looked for a man to marry like PawPaw that was a loving and a caring gentleman.

Miranda said Pawpaw taught her to be satisfied with life and cherish what you have. He exemplified doing the right thing and putting others first.

Ashley said I only knew him as a servant, us kids, Nanny and he took great joy in serving others, serving like Jesus, being the hands and feet of Jesus.

Daughter Jane wrote:

Jane said her dad understood well the two greatest commandments that Jesus shared in the Bible:

Matthew 22:37–39 NKJV

37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

His life was a living example of loving God and loving others. The activities he did for enjoyment was because he loved others. He loved serving others. The garden, the repairs, the handyman gifts were all ways he would bless others.

Jane said that he was faithful to wife, family, his mother, later to cousin Margaret and his special friend Mrs. Glenda.

His standards were high and because his standards were high you did not want to disappoint him. He walked the walk, he did not just talk the talk.

As a Son in Law, Mr. Adair taught me what a husband, a dad, and a Patriarch looked like. As a teacher that taught and as a gardener that nourished, he taught this family as referenced in:

Luke 12:48 “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”

He lived that and encouraged that lifestyle in every relationship he had. I want to say to my sister in laws, my brother in law and to my wife, the lessons took. You all have been highly successful by the world’s standards, but I want to say you have been successful in God’s eyes, great families and you have a great walk with the Lord.

What a legacy. I know Pawpaw is proud of every one of you, his grandkids, and his great grandkids. And I know as the teacher he was, I know for every one here, he made some small dent in the framework of who your being here today.

And thus, because this was the life he lived, when in those last moments in the hospital that the Lord took him home, he could rest in saying, “to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

As a teacher, Mr. Adair would want me to teach the plan of salvation:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Did Mr. Adair leave a great legacy? He did. Did he have a great linage and was he blessed with a great family? He did. Was his labor in vain over these many years? No, because He labored as He was laboring for the Lord.

And oh yes, Hal, I believe everyone here would agree, “Well done thy good and faithful servant.”

Graveside Greenwood Cemetery

Scripture Pastor Misty

Committal Pastor Misty

Benediction Luke Finkelstein

Let’s pray:

Oh Dear Lord, it is in the gift of your Son, Jesus that we can have hope in such a time as this. Thank you for your sacrificial death, the resurrection and the hope of new life in you.

Oh Dear Jesus, we thank you for the life of Mr. Harold Adair. Thank you for his legacy, thank you for the life lessons. Oh Lord, may you instill in each of us the great memories and remember how he impacted each of us. Thank you that his life manifested what our lives should be in relation to You, Heavenly Father. Your word says:

“I came that you may have life more abundantly.”Oh God you fulfilled your promise. We have all been bless abundantly through our time with Mr. Harold. And Lord, you gave him and honored him with abundant life and we say “thank you.”

Oh Dear jesus, I know we all will mourn because Your Word reminds us that you wept. Love is surrender. Love is a peeling back and opening up. But Lord, I pray we all mourn differently knowing we have the opportunity to see our loved ones again. Everyone here can have that assurance by receiving You as Lord and Savior. Lord, love on this family as only you can love. Comfort as only you comfort and uplift as only you uplift. Lord, you have left us here to continue his legacy. Lord you have a plan for each of us. May we submit to your will and follow you as Mr. Adair exemplified. Oh dear Lord, thank you for loving us and being with us in such a time as this. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.