Local entrepreneur and businessman Stanley Jackson “Jack” Adams passed away Sunday morning December 23 at Maury Regional Hospital. He was born January 12, 1928, in Rutherford County as the youngest of the nine children of Walter Lee and Arie Bell Compton Adams. In 1960 Mr. Adams came to Lewisburg to open Adams and Davis Shop-Rite Food Store, which soon became Dixie Foods with stores also located in Murfreesboro, Pulaski, and Winchester.
In the mid 1960’s he built Sak n Pak, the first convenience store in Lewisburg. This convenience store was the first in the state to offer self-service gasoline pumps. In the 1970’s he developed Marshall County Plaza, the first shopping center in Lewisburg.
After he sold his grocery stores in 1989, he became the Franchising Agent for Dairy Queen in Davidson County and the surrounding area and remained in that capacity until 2016. Mr. Adams was the last surviving member of the Industrial Committee of the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce that developed the Lewisburg Industrial Park on Higgs Road. He was a past president of the Chamber of Commerce and was named Outstanding Citizen in 1982.
The Rotary Club named him the Outstanding Senior Citizen in 2007. A veteran of the Army Signal Corp, Mr. Adams served in Occupied Japan at the end of WWII. He was an active member of the Lions Club for 63 years, was named a Melvin Jones Fellow of Lions International, and was honored by the Lewisburg Lions Club with Life Membership status.
He served on the Lewisburg Housing Authority Board for 30 years, was a former member of the Board of Trustees for Middle Tennessee State University, a past director of the First National Bank of Lewisburg, a past president of the Middle Tennessee Grocers’ Association, and a past division chairman for the local United Givers’ Fund. A life-long Democrat, he was the local campaign manager for Senator Jim Sasser and served on President Carter’s Small Business Advisory Committee. Governor Clement appointed him to serve as one of the “Ten Men from Tennessee” who traveled the country to learn how to attract and maintain industry in Tennessee.
Mr. Adams was an active member of East Commerce Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon, a Sunday School teacher, and chairmen of numerous committees. He was the church moderator for 50 years. He was a former board member of the Tennessee Baptist Foundation and served for 11 years on the Southern Baptist Annuity Council.
He is survived by his devoted wife of 68 years, Bonnie Duke Adams, who worked with him in his business endeavors. Several nieces and nephews also survive. Services will be conducted Saturday morning, December 29, at 11:00 a.m. in the sanctuary of East Commerce Baptist Church, 560 East Commerce Street, Lewisburg.
Burial will follow at 2:00 p.m. in Evergreen Cemetery in Murfreesboro, TN. Visitation with the family will be held Friday evening from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers contributions may be given to the East Commerce Baptist Church Building Fund or a charity of your choice.
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