Dennis Lee Adams

Dennis Lee Adams was born on September 14, 1946. He was born to Berlyn and Ruth Adams, along with his younger brothers, Gary and Randall.

Known affectionately as Denny, he loved to share stories of his international adventures with his maternal grandparents and recount his evolution from a love of theater into a life of social service. He would often say it was that theater background that opened doors, but those who knew him know that he was sincerely an endearing person who yearned to hear your story.

In Omaha, Denny attended Westside High School, where he would meet his future wife, Connie Kunkler. The two graduated from Westside in 1964 and married in 1967.

They ventured to the Pacific Northwest in their VW bus (Yes, it had curtains) in 1971. When deciding whether to move to Oregon or Washington, it was the weather that played the ultimate role. As they share the story, they always laugh as they point out that it was raining during their time in Washington, but the sun shined in Clatsop County!

Denny started Coast Rehab, an organization that served adults with disabilities. He would fondly recall names and stories of people who had been involved with the organization during the 1970s for the rest of his life.

Aaron was born in 1977, and Alana in 1980, at Seaside General Hospital - the first of two generations to be born at the same hospital.

The family moved to Bremerton, Washington, and then Phoenix, Arizona, before returning to the Portland Metro area, where their children attended grade school through high school. Dennis worked for Multnomah County Developmental Disabilities, where he met many subsequently lifelong friends and colleagues who shared the same vision of equity and equality. Aaron would become the first student with a disability to be fully integrated with his “mainstream” classmates during high school in Multnomah County.

Seeking warmer temperatures and chasing a daughter flying the coop after high school, Denny, Connie, and Aaron moved to South Florida. Here, Denny was able to absorb a culture of music and food, which he appreciated beyond compare. He worked as the director of Hispanic Unity, a nonprofit social service agency, and later the American Cancer Society. During this time, he also got to live near his brother Gary and sister-in-law Linda. Long story short, there were alligators, late night dinners on the intracoastal, a crooked swing, countless hours of pool time, and so many good memories for a family who had grown up in Omaha, Nebraska, and found themselves in the tropics of southern Florida. There was also a lot of University of Miami sports engagement for Dennis and the family, including national football and baseball championships, and a trip to the Sweet 16 for basketball.

A few too many real hurricanes prompted Denny and his family to pack up and head back to the Pacific NW. Alana would follow them a few years later. Denny went back to his original calling: serving people with developmental disabilities. He worked for Dungarvin Oregon until his retirement in early 2013.

He jumped right in and took on retirement with the same energy that he had in his career. This time, his energy focused on his granddaughters Karlie and Kaia, while seeking out moments of peace.

He is survived by so many family and friends who miss him dearly. We will remember him when we find the light shining just right upon something we love. He always said, “Know your light.”In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Denny’s memory to an organization supporting the advocacy for people with disabilities, civil liberties, human rights, or the Democratic Party at www.democrats.org.

You’re invited to share your memories at the bottom of the page in the online guest book.