[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 98 (Friday, June 26, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               IN HONOR OF SENATOR THURMAN G. ADAMS, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL N. CASTLE

                              of delaware

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 25, 2009

  Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart but great honor 
that I rise today to pay tribute to the life of the Honorable Thurman 
G. Adams, Jr. A member of Delaware's State Senate for the past 37 years 
and owner of T.G. Adams & Sons Inc., Senator Adams is a man who has 
given much to his community and his state; a man who is to be 
recognized for all that he has done and a man who will truly be missed 
by me and Delawareans throughout our state.
  Since his initial election in 1972, Senator Adams worked diligently 
as a representative of his constituents and as an advocate for 
progress, molding Delaware into the business-friendly, agriculturally 
rich state that it is today. The longest serving State Senator in 
Delaware history, Thurman served in this capacity under eight Governors 
and was elected as the Senate Majority Leader in 1999 and as the 
President Pro Tempore in 2002. Regarding Thurman's dedication to our 
State and his strength of character, I cannot say enough. For nearly 
four decades now, there is hardly a bill that has come to pass in 
Delaware upon which Thurman's influence has not been felt. One of the 
most notable pieces of legislation that he sponsored and fought for was 
an enhanced 9-1-1 bill. Passed and currently in place, the bill created 
a system that automatically gives the address from which a 9-1-1 call 
originates--enabling a quicker, more accurate response time. A member 
of the Senate Executive Committee since his first term and later 
appointed as chairman, Thurman played a huge role in determining who 
served in the judiciary, cabinet and various other influential state 
posts. The strong, positive force which he brought to the legislature 
every day has helped to strengthen and solidify Delaware's courts and 
government for many decades.
  In his capacity as a legislator and as a citizen, Thurman spent his 
life in service to the State of Delaware. Senator Adams graduated from 
the University of Delaware in 1950 with a B.S in agricultural education 
and went on to succeed his father as the President of T.G. Adams & Sons 
Inc., a feed and grain business in his hometown of Bridgeville. With a 
solid base in agriculture and the business world, Thurman was appointed 
to the State Highway Commission in 1961 and appointed as the chairman 
of the Governor's Safety Committee in 1966. Over the years, Senator 
Adams was recognized for many accomplishments. In 1996, he received the 
University of Delaware's ``Medal of Distinction,'' an honor 
acknowledging his outstanding professional achievements. He and his 
wife Hilda also became very active in trying to make the process to 
receive organ transplants easier for individuals and their families 
after their own personal experience with their son Brent. In 2008, he 
was both inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame and awarded the 
``Order of the First State,'' the highest award our Governor can 
present in recognition of his many years of service.
  Senator Adams spent his life as an advocate for his Bridgeville 
district, for the county of Sussex, and for the State of Delaware. A 
believer in personal, deep-rooted relationships, Thurman was a 
respected and compassionate legislator and his passing will leave a 
void in Delaware's General Assembly and our state. During my time as a 
State Senator and in my role as Lt. Governor and Governor, I had the 
privilege of working with Senator Adams on many key legislative issues. 
Thurman is someone with whom I worked closely and confided in 
frequently and I feel confident in recognizing him for who he was--a 
man who was incredibly fair, a strong, trusted and great leader with 
devotion unequaled, and a sterling reputation for helping others.
  Foremost in Thurman's life was his family. Thurman was a loving 
husband to his wife Hilda, a father who could bestow life's lessons as 
well as heartfelt love to his three children, Brent, Lynn, and Polly, a 
grandfather who adored his grandchildren, and a brother to Leon, 
Beatrice and his deceased brother Alvin. His family and grandchildren 
warmed his heart and he took great pride in watching them grow and 
mature over the years. While we will all miss him dearly, I take 
comfort in knowing that he, Hilda, and Brent have been reunited and I 
am sure are watching over all of us now.
  He gave his time, his energy, and his heart in pursuit of 
comprehensive and useful measures, established and implemented for the 
benefit of his fellow Delawareans. Steadfast in his beliefs, Thurman 
once said, ``I hope that every bill will make life better.'' I stand 
today to acknowledge and honor that he was a man dedicated to just 
that. Godspeed to my good friend, Senator Thurman G. Adams, Jr. and 
thank you for your guidance, support and friendship over the years.

                          ____________________