Beatrice Adams

Beatrice (Bea) Adams, age 81, a resident of Portland, passed away Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at Persimmon Ridge Rehabilitation Centre surrounded by her family.

She worked at CTS in Berne and JCI in Portland. In 1995, she was a cook at Jay County Sheriff’s Office and was appointed matron of the jail in 1999.

She retired from the department as matron in December 2006.

She attended First Baptist Church in Portland.

Bea Adams was born Aug. 8, 1937, in Bladenboro, North Carolina, the daughter of Leon and Ruby (Grice) Atkinson. On May 7, 1955, she married Jerry Adams, and he passed away on April 22, 2016.

Survivors include:

Two sons — Rusty Adams (wife: Theresa), Crawfordsville, Indiana, and Jo Adams (wife-Sharon), Brainerd, Minnesota

One daughter — Helene Hartzell (husband: Jerry), Portland, Indiana

Seven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, five step-grandchildren and twelve step-great-grandchildren

She was preceded in death by a step-grandson.

Visitation will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Friday in the Williamson-Spencer and Penrod Funeral home in Portland. Funeral services will follow at 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Pastor Mark Hinshaw and Pastor Gordon Jackson will officiate the services and burial will follow in the Center Cemetery, west of Portland.

Memorials may be directed to Jay County Humane Society.

Condolences may be expressed at williamsonspencer.com.