Lois Gene (Durfee) Adams

Longtime Alaskan, Lois Gene (Durfee) Adams, 92, died March 26, 2011, in Wasilla.

A memorial service is at 1 p.m., April 5 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Colony Chapel in Palmer, across from Colony High School. Her grandson, Bishop David Breshears, will conduct the service. Burial will be April 11 in Thatcher, Ariz.

Lois was born Dec. 29, 1918, to Mary and Eliel Durfee in Gridley, Calif., the youngest of seven children.

Lois was raised in a mining town, Brandy City, Calif., where her father delivered mail on horseback to mountain residents. At age 7, they moved to Gridley. She enjoyed swimming and roller-skating.

Lois met Hugh Adams while he was visiting his aunt, Fay Mitchell, a widow. Lois took care of Fay’s children. They married in Merced, Calif., May 3, 1936, and celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary May 2006 with their seven children, spouses and many grandchildren.

Lois worked with her husband in the shipyards in Oakland, Calif., as a welder’s helper during World War II. In 1952, they moved to Alaska. They owned the largest dairy in the state — 300 cows and milked 152. They were the first to have a modern dairy, combine and wind rower in the Mat-Su Valley. In 1963, the family moved to Anchorage. Her husband transitioned to become a building contractor, later starting his own businesses, Terrace Kitchens and Hugh Adams Construction. She helped with the bookkeeping.

Lois enjoyed taking care of her husband and family as a homemaker, educating her children, sewing and watching mystery movies. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

She is survived by her seven children, Dorothy Breshears Dory of Wasilla; Larry (Janet) Adams of Big Lake; Eileen (Darrell) Carlson of Anchorage; Lynn “Gary” (Barbara) Adams of Palmer; Lynda (Al) Phelan of Palmer; Pamela (Paul) Hartig of Palmer; Lance (Roxanne) Adams of Everett, Washington; 34 grandchildren; 47 great-grandchildren; and 20 great-great-grandchildren.

Preceding her in death was her husband Hugh Adams, four brothers and two sisters.

Arrangements are with Kehl’s Palmer Mortuary.