Robert Thomas Adams

Robert Thomas Adams III, 76, of Caseville, passed away peacefully at his home December 25, 2010.

Bob was born January 9, 1934 in Detroit to the late Robert II and Marion (Grier) Adams. He graduated from Cooley High School in Detroit and the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, where he received his BS in Metallurgical Engineering in 1956. Bob was a member of the Michigan Wolverine football team and the U-M Alumni Association, and he was a “Michigan Man” for life.

On April 22, 1957 he married Barbara Schiebler at St. Mary’s Chapel of U of M’s Ann Arbor campus.

Bob began his career as a sales engineer for Union Carbide and American Metallurgical Products. In 1972 he built his own foundry in Caseville where he owned and operated Village Castings Company until his “retirement” in 2000. He then emerged from retirement to start his own casting brokerage company, Adams Castings Inc., which specialized in the restoration of lighthouses. Bob was a member of the American Foundrymen’s Society and the Foundry Association of Michigan, where he served as a board member.

Bob was a lifelong resident and fan of Caseville, and often said, “It is the greatest place on earth.” He loved the lake and enjoyed hunting, fishing, golf, coin collecting, reading and genealogy. Bob was very active in the community, serving on the Caseville Township Zoning Board, Caseville Harbor Commission, and was a charter member of the Caseville Optimist Club. He was also a member of the Caseville Eagles and the Bay City Optimist Club. Bob was a past president and current trustee of the Caseville Historical Society, where he was instrumental in the restoration of the Maccabee’s Hall and shared his passion for Caseville history. He also served on the board on the Huron County Historical Society.

He is survived by his wife Barbara; son John and his wife Christina of Kalamazoo; grandchildren Emily, Samuel, Robert V, and Andrew; sisters Judith and her husband Chuck Weeks of Grand Blanc and Linda Bishop of Livonia; nephews Brett (Jeanette) Bishop and Christopher (Becky) Weeks; and nieces Tani Jo (Tony) Doll and Stephanie (Mike) Kneiding.

He was preceded in death by his son Robert IV.

A funeral mass will be at 11:00 am Wednesday, December 29th at St. Roch Catholic Church with Fr. Dennis Kucharczyk presiding. Burial will be in Caseville Township Cemetery.

Visitation will be 2 to 8 pm Tuesday at the Champagne Funeral Chapel of Caseville and he will lie in-state one hour prior to the mass on Wednesday in church.

Memorials may be made in his memory to the Caseville Historical Society or the American Lung Association.