Obituaries

It is with a profound sense of loss that we announce the passing of Joseph (Joe) Adams on May 6, 2025. Joe, a lifetime resident of NW Ohio (Toledo, Bowling Green, Oak Harbor, Bryan, and Sylvania), finally ran out of refills at the age of 79 after a six-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born on November 11, 1945, Joe spent his life dispensing not only medications but also unsolicited advice, witty remarks, and an endless stream of conversation to anyone within earshot. If you ever met Joe, you are likely to know his life story, his opinion on the current state of the world (and probably the previous seventy years of automobiles), and where to find the best price on just about anything. He could strike up a conversation with a lamppost and leave feeling like they were old friends.

Joe was born and lived his early years in Toledo. Moving to Bowling Green in the sixth grade, he discovered PeeWee baseball and became Lorraine Oil’s first-string pitcher. He attended Bowling Green High School for three years where he was a member of the baseball, basketball, track, and wrestling teams. While he was always a good student, Driver’s Education at BGHS was his favorite course by far. The family moved to Oak Harbor for Joe’s senior year, where he was quickly embraced by his new graduating class of 1963. Joe took advantage of every opportunity his new school could offer, adding theater, Glee Club, Science Club, and Scholarship Team to his growing list of extracurricular activities. The friendships he made that last year of high school were evergreen, with the classmates meeting monthly for lunch for over 60 years. After a year of study at General Motors Institute, where he learned that an all-encompassing love for cars does not an engineer make (but it does come with an internship that allowed the purchase of his first car) he switched gears (literally and metaphorically), enrolling at the University of Toledo’s School of Pharmacy and completing an internship at a small retail pharmacy in Bryan, Ohio before earning his degree in 1970. After serving as a member of the United States Army for two years, stationed at Fort MacArthur in San Pedro, California, Joe returned to Toledo in 1973, with a brief stint at St. Charles Hospital before settling into his 30-year career at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, from which he retired in 2002. In retirement, Joe remained engaged and active in the pharmacy community, keeping his license current for many years and attending seminars and Drug Club meetings.

Joe’s passion for American cars was legendary – Mustangs and GTOs were at the top of his list. He treated them like members of the family, albeit members he frequently traded in for a newer, slightly better model with a "steal" of a price. His garage was a revolving door of automotive dreams (and occasional lemons), each one meticulously researched and acquired after weeks of relentless negotiation. In his later years, his passion for transportation led him to frequent swap meets and flea markets, acquiring thousands of pieces of vintage automotive literature, memorabilia, car parts and more. He was an active member of a local group of car enthusiasts (known as the Oak Park Gang) who met weekly for a buffet luncheon, conversation, and camaraderie.

Joe was fiercely loyal to his family and friends, even if he showed it through playful sarcasm and the occasional "helpful" critique. He had a knack for finding humor in every situation and could diffuse tension with a well-timed joke or a raised eyebrow. Joe maintained school and professional relationships throughout his lifetime, building an extensive network of people he interacted with regularly – always on a first-name basis and always with a smile.

Joe leaves behind his wife, Linda; his daughter, Amy Siders; grandchildren, Jack and Hannah; brother, Douglas (Maria) Adams; sister, Jill (David) Krieger, and six nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his stepchildren, Katelyn Mazur, Megan (John) Collins, and Casey (Erin) Johnson; along with step grandchildren, Bradley, Emerson, Delaney, Nora, Josie, Elizabeth, and Eamon. Lastly, he will be remembered by his vast network of friends and acquaintances, classmates, and coworkers, all of whom have at least one Joe story that starts with, "So, I was talking to Joe the other day..." and always ends with a chuckle.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph F. Adams, Sr, and Donelda Spratt Huffman and brother, Gordan Adams.

We would like to extend our gratitude to Hospice of Northwest Ohio, the Toledo Office of Veterans Affairs, and Visiting Angels – all of whom were integral in providing care and support for both Joe and his family, allowing us all to experience a peaceful and dignified end of life experience.

A public visitation will be held at Walker Funeral Home, 5155 W. Sylvania Ave., Toledo, OH 43623, on May 19, 2025, from 4-7 p.m. A luncheon to celebrate Joe’s life (and where we can undoubtedly share some of those stories) will take place on May 20, 2025. For more information regarding Joe’s Celebration of Life, please e-mail pharmjoegto@gmail.com.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) at pancan.org or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at donate.nationalmssociety.org.

You could also simply find an excellent deal on something in his honor – he would have appreciated that.

Joe will be deeply missed, and the world will certainly be much quieter and a bit less joyous, detailed, and shiny without him.