[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6090]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   IN HONOR OF SENATOR THURMAN G. ADAMS, JR., PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE 
                         DELAWARE STATE SENATE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL N. CASTLE

                              of delaware

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 15, 2008

  Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise 
today to recognize Senator Thurman G. Adams, Jr., who was elected by 
his colleagues as Senate President Pro Tempore of the Delaware General 
Assembly in January of 2003. Senator Adams is also the longest serving 
member of the State Senate in Delaware history, as he has represented 
the 19th Senate District of Sussex County since 1972, and I had the 
personal pleasure of serving with him in the State Senate during my 
last term as a Senator from 1972 to 1976 and again as Lt. Governor from 
1981 to 1985. In addition, when I was Governor of Delaware from 1985 to 
1993 I worked closely with Senator Adams on many issues.
  During his career in public service, Senator Adams has held many 
distinguished positions. Before becoming President Pro Tempore, he 
served as Senate Majority Leader from 1999 to 2003. Senator Adams 
serves on several standing committees, including the Agriculture 
Committee, the Highways & Transportation Committee, and as longtime 
Chairman of the Executive Committee. In this position he has overseen 
the appointment of Chief Justices, Judges, cabinet secretaries and 
individuals to other prominent positions within State Government. He 
has worked for the interests of Delaware's farm community and expended 
much effort toward such causes as improving roads and the quality of 
Delaware's public education system. As a member of the Public Safety 
Committee, Senator Adams sponsored legislation that established 
Delaware's ``Enhanced 911'' emergency telephone system.
  Senator Adams is a lifelong Delawarean, being born and raised in 
Bridgeville, DE, in the very district that he now represents. After 
graduating from Bridgeville High School, Senator Adams went on to earn 
a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Education from the 
University of Delaware. Senator Adams was married for almost 50 years 
to Hilda McCabe Adams, who passed away in 2002. His world revolves 
around family and his two daughters, Polly and Lynn, son Brent who 
passed away, seven grandsons and four great-grandchildren mean the 
world to him. He is the president of T.G. Adams & Sons, Inc., a feed 
and grain company, and oversees a large farming business. Senator Adams 
has served on various boards, including the Eastern Shore Grain Dealers 
Association, of which he was president, chairman of the United 
Methodist Church Administrative board, president of Harrington Raceway, 
and as director of Baltimore Trust Company, Milford Memorial Hospital 
and the Medical Center of Delaware. In addition to his public service, 
Senator Adams devotes time to community outreach and charitable 
projects through the Bridgeville Lions Club, several Shrine Clubs, and 
numerous other organizations. Finally, if we could get his beloved 
Baltimore Orioles back into the World Series I am certain Senator Adams 
would consider his work complete, well at least for a moment or so.
  I commend and thank Senator Thurman Adams for his innumerable 
contributions and many years of admirable service to the State of 
Delaware. I am confident that he will continue to serve the people of 
Delaware with passion and excellence and I am very proud to call him my 
friend.

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