1964
Garth
2023
Garth Frank Adams
February 29, 1964 — May 7, 2023
Our beloved gentle giant, Garth Frank Adams, passed away unexpectedly at home on Sunday May, 7th 2023. For over 15+ years he endured countless surgeries and bore endless pain and suffering with an amazing attitude and sense of humor. He loved others deeply and would proudly bear a personal witness of his Savior to anyone he met. He was peacefully released into the loving arms of his Savior and reunited with his dad, mom, brother and sister. What a beautiful reunion he is now having!
Garth was born February 29, 1964 in Murray, Utah to Fred and Maurine Adams. He married his best friend, Sue Madsen Adams on May 8, 1987 in the Salt Lake Temple. One of Garth’s greatest joys in life was becoming a dad to Josh. After many years of yearning for a child, Garth and Sue were blessed to adopt Joshua Garth Adams on February 28,1995.
Garth loved Josh and was so proud of all of his many accomplishments and talents. He and Josh would often play hymns together, Garth on the piano and Josh on his bass guitar. Garth was blessed in his final days to attend Josh’s University of Utah graduation on May 4th, and the proposal of Josh to his beautiful fiancé, Sharyn Hunter on April 29th. Garth was so excited to have his new daughter join the Adams Family and loved her dearly.
Garth loved hunting, fishing, boating, 4-wheeling, camping, golfing, traveling, working out at the gym, cooking, attending a great concert at Usana or simply enjoying a fun movie night with his family with a giant bowl of popcorn drenched in “too” much butter. He loved playing basketball during his years at Churchill Jr. High and Skyline High School. He eventually became the Stake Athletic Director and enjoyed refereeing basketball games, just like his mom had done. When in good health, he would frequently take family and friends on hunting trips for mule deer, fishing trips for rainbow trout, and was the captain of our boat “Lazy Days”. Josh and his friends loved going boating and having “Captain Garth” flip them off the tube, the bigger the wave the better!
Garth was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints his entire life. He served a mission in London England, where his nickname in the mission field was “Elder Goliath”. His deep testimony of his Savior and fearless conviction in proclaiming the gospel brought many people unto Christ.
Garth, the baby of 8 siblings, weighed just over 6 pounds when he was born, and was given the nickname of “Runt” by his dad. Garth lost his dad to cancer at the age of eleven and cherished his nickname. By ninth grade, Garth had grown to the height of 6’ 7”. His entire life he proudly shared the name “Runts” on his truck license plate.
Garth looked forward to doing weekly Tuesday Temple nights with Sue, Josh, Sharyn(fiancé), Kathy(sister) and Stephanie(niece). He recently started working in the Draper Temple Baptistry and had to shave off his goatee, which caught him off guard when he looked in the mirror. He wouldn’t let a little facial hair keep him out of the service of the Lord. He loved interacting with temple patrons and making them feel welcome.
Maurine Andrus Adams, also known as, “Mean Maurine” raised him in the gospel and endured the challenges of single motherhood. They lived in Holladay, Utah for many years before he met his lifelong sweetheart and future bride Sue Madsen Adams. In high school, he attended an art class as a teacher’s aide and asked his teacher “Who should I help with their artwork?” The teacher encouraged him to find the cutest girl in the class. Sue was a “Chatty Kathy” with her friends, and they quickly gained a friendship. They dated on and off for several years, casually dating each other and remaining good friends. Years later, Sue was prompted to send Garth a letter which Garth couldn’t stop reading over and over while on a deer hunt. This led to their engagement and marriage at the Salt Lake Temple on May 8th 1987. The letter is still in Garth’s safe today.
Garth was a leap year baby. He lived 59 years on the earth, but was really only 14.75 years old, which explains A LOT for those who knew him! At one point, his son became older than he was. It was a fun contention that 3 out of 4 years he didn’t have a birthday. Growing up, his mom would joke that his birthday wasn’t on the calendar, so Garth would write a “29” of February on the calendar. We all loved the fact that he was so “young”, and his son cherished sharing a birthday with him. When it was leap year though, that day was ALL about RUNT.
Garth loved his family and friends dearly and his personality was larger than life! He was a friend to all. He instantly filled a room with his voice and cheerful countenance. Everyone knew him everywhere he went. When his son started working for Costco, his boss stated in a meeting that “Joshua Adams was just employed”, to which another employee in the room immediately said “Is that Garth’s son!?” “You better believe it,” Josh replied.
His friends at the gym gave him strength to push through the hardships with his physical struggles and limitations. He looked forward to seeing them every week and it became one of his cherished outings. He was also forever grateful for the love and service from family, his ward, and his Dr. Justin Hohl and Preston Grey.
We truly will miss our gentle giant. Until we meet again our beloved husband, dad, uncle, brother, and true friend! We love you “ALWAYS & FOREVER”!
Sue & Josh
He is Survived by Sue Madsen Adams and Joshua Garth Adams (Sharyn)
Sister-Kathleen Gammel (Philip)
Sister-Deborah Adams
Sister Kristine Adams Sorensen
Brother Allen Fred Adams (Karri)
Sister-in-Law-Sharon Adams
Brother-Gary Phillip Adams (Krista)
Sister-in- law Patti White (Ron)
Sister-in-law Kris Burns (Kelly)
Mother-in-law Nancy Gartrell (Hal)
He is preceded in death by
Mother-Maurine Andrus Adams
Father-Fred Philip Adams
Sister- Maurine Adams
Brother-Michael Andrus Adams
Brother-in-Law-Vernal Richard Sorensen
Nephew-David Andrew Sorensen Adams
Niece – Kimberly Tanner
Nephew – Jim Burns
Viewing on Monday, May 15th from 6-8 at Memorial Holladay – Cottonwood Mortuary 4670 S. Highland Drive, Holladay Utah.
Funeral Services will be held on: Tuesday May 16th at 11:00 am with a viewing from 9:30-10:45. AM at the Eastridge 7th Ward 1020 East Sunburn Lane Sandy, Utah.
Interment at Memorial Holladay Cemetery 4900 South Memory Ln Holladay Utah.
To view the funeral services remotely, please use the following link https://zoom.us/j/97347984753?pwd=QjcwUmhyK2NocHNaSnd6azFjTW9jdz09Service Information
Viewing May 15, 2023 at 6:00-8:00 PM
Memorial Holladay~Cottonwood Mortuary, 4670 South Highland Drive, Holladay,Utah 84117
Viewing May 16, 2023 at 9:30-10:45 AM
1020 East Sunburn Lane, Sandy, Utah
Funeral Service
May 16, 2023 at 11:00 AM
1020 East Sunburn Lane, Sandy, Utah
Garth was born February 29, 1964 in Murray, Utah to Fred and Maurine Adams. He married his best friend, Sue Madsen Adams on May 8, 1987 in the Salt Lake Temple. One of Garth’s greatest joys in life was becoming a dad to Josh. After many years of yearning for a child, Garth and Sue were blessed to adopt Joshua Garth Adams on February 28,1995.
Garth loved Josh and was so proud of all of his many accomplishments and talents. He and Josh would often play hymns together, Garth on the piano and Josh on his bass guitar. Garth was blessed in his final days to attend Josh’s University of Utah graduation on May 4th, and the proposal of Josh to his beautiful fiancé, Sharyn Hunter on April 29th. Garth was so excited to have his new daughter join the Adams Family and loved her dearly.
Garth loved hunting, fishing, boating, 4-wheeling, camping, golfing, traveling, working out at the gym, cooking, attending a great concert at Usana or simply enjoying a fun movie night with his family with a giant bowl of popcorn drenched in “too” much butter. He loved playing basketball during his years at Churchill Jr. High and Skyline High School. He eventually became the Stake Athletic Director and enjoyed refereeing basketball games, just like his mom had done. When in good health, he would frequently take family and friends on hunting trips for mule deer, fishing trips for rainbow trout, and was the captain of our boat “Lazy Days”. Josh and his friends loved going boating and having “Captain Garth” flip them off the tube, the bigger the wave the better!
Garth was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints his entire life. He served a mission in London England, where his nickname in the mission field was “Elder Goliath”. His deep testimony of his Savior and fearless conviction in proclaiming the gospel brought many people unto Christ.
Garth, the baby of 8 siblings, weighed just over 6 pounds when he was born, and was given the nickname of “Runt” by his dad. Garth lost his dad to cancer at the age of eleven and cherished his nickname. By ninth grade, Garth had grown to the height of 6’ 7”. His entire life he proudly shared the name “Runts” on his truck license plate.
Garth looked forward to doing weekly Tuesday Temple nights with Sue, Josh, Sharyn(fiancé), Kathy(sister) and Stephanie(niece). He recently started working in the Draper Temple Baptistry and had to shave off his goatee, which caught him off guard when he looked in the mirror. He wouldn’t let a little facial hair keep him out of the service of the Lord. He loved interacting with temple patrons and making them feel welcome.
Maurine Andrus Adams, also known as, “Mean Maurine” raised him in the gospel and endured the challenges of single motherhood. They lived in Holladay, Utah for many years before he met his lifelong sweetheart and future bride Sue Madsen Adams. In high school, he attended an art class as a teacher’s aide and asked his teacher “Who should I help with their artwork?” The teacher encouraged him to find the cutest girl in the class. Sue was a “Chatty Kathy” with her friends, and they quickly gained a friendship. They dated on and off for several years, casually dating each other and remaining good friends. Years later, Sue was prompted to send Garth a letter which Garth couldn’t stop reading over and over while on a deer hunt. This led to their engagement and marriage at the Salt Lake Temple on May 8th 1987. The letter is still in Garth’s safe today.
Garth was a leap year baby. He lived 59 years on the earth, but was really only 14.75 years old, which explains A LOT for those who knew him! At one point, his son became older than he was. It was a fun contention that 3 out of 4 years he didn’t have a birthday. Growing up, his mom would joke that his birthday wasn’t on the calendar, so Garth would write a “29” of February on the calendar. We all loved the fact that he was so “young”, and his son cherished sharing a birthday with him. When it was leap year though, that day was ALL about RUNT.
Garth loved his family and friends dearly and his personality was larger than life! He was a friend to all. He instantly filled a room with his voice and cheerful countenance. Everyone knew him everywhere he went. When his son started working for Costco, his boss stated in a meeting that “Joshua Adams was just employed”, to which another employee in the room immediately said “Is that Garth’s son!?” “You better believe it,” Josh replied.
His friends at the gym gave him strength to push through the hardships with his physical struggles and limitations. He looked forward to seeing them every week and it became one of his cherished outings. He was also forever grateful for the love and service from family, his ward, and his Dr. Justin Hohl and Preston Grey.
We truly will miss our gentle giant. Until we meet again our beloved husband, dad, uncle, brother, and true friend! We love you “ALWAYS & FOREVER”!
Sue & Josh
He is Survived by Sue Madsen Adams and Joshua Garth Adams (Sharyn)
Sister-Kathleen Gammel (Philip)
Sister-Deborah Adams
Sister Kristine Adams Sorensen
Brother Allen Fred Adams (Karri)
Sister-in-Law-Sharon Adams
Brother-Gary Phillip Adams (Krista)
Sister-in- law Patti White (Ron)
Sister-in-law Kris Burns (Kelly)
Mother-in-law Nancy Gartrell (Hal)
He is preceded in death by
Mother-Maurine Andrus Adams
Father-Fred Philip Adams
Sister- Maurine Adams
Brother-Michael Andrus Adams
Brother-in-Law-Vernal Richard Sorensen
Nephew-David Andrew Sorensen Adams
Niece – Kimberly Tanner
Nephew – Jim Burns
Viewing on Monday, May 15th from 6-8 at Memorial Holladay – Cottonwood Mortuary 4670 S. Highland Drive, Holladay Utah.
Funeral Services will be held on: Tuesday May 16th at 11:00 am with a viewing from 9:30-10:45. AM at the Eastridge 7th Ward 1020 East Sunburn Lane Sandy, Utah.
Interment at Memorial Holladay Cemetery 4900 South Memory Ln Holladay Utah.
To view the funeral services remotely, please use the following link https://zoom.us/j/97347984753?pwd=QjcwUmhyK2NocHNaSnd6azFjTW9jdz09Service Information
Viewing May 15, 2023 at 6:00-8:00 PM
Memorial Holladay~Cottonwood Mortuary, 4670 South Highland Drive, Holladay,Utah 84117
Viewing May 16, 2023 at 9:30-10:45 AM
1020 East Sunburn Lane, Sandy, Utah
Funeral Service
May 16, 2023 at 11:00 AM
1020 East Sunburn Lane, Sandy, Utah
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Garth Frank Adams, please visit our flower store.
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