Obituary: Roger C. Adams Jr.
Roger C. Adams Jr.
WEST SIMSBURY, Conn. – Roger C. Adams Jr. of West Simsbury, Conn., died at the age of 92 on Aug. 20, 2026. He was born in Norway, Maine on Feb. 13, 1934, the son of Roger and Katharine Glines Adams. He was the loving husband of Nancy Shumway Adams. Roger and Nancy celebrated their seventy-first wedding anniversary in June.
Roger was a 1952 graduate of Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine where he excelled in skiing and captained the football team. He was very active with the Alumni Association at Gould. He attended Boston University, where he captained the ski team and became a proud member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. During his time at BU, he met Nancy on the slopes of Stowe, Vt. They were married in the Summer of 1955. It was during this summer that he and Nancy worked on Nantucket Island, which they visited frequently.
Roger got a job right out of college at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in East Hartford, Conn. in the purchasing division. He remained at P&WA throughout his career, which spanned 36 years. He later came out of retirement to serve as a consultant. He enjoyed business trips across the U.S. as well as abroad that brought him to Germany, Japan and Israel, forging many lasting friendships along the way.
Roger was an outdoor enthusiast and enjoyed playing tennis, skiing, hiking, coaching baseball, being involved with Indian Guides, camping, fishing, and all things fun. He loved to sing and had a great sense of humor, so he was often the life of the party. He had a gentlemanly love for people and left a positive, indelible impact on countless lives.
It was through his friendships and love for skiing that he became a founding partner of Satan’s Ridge Ski Area, which later became Ski Sundown in New Hartford, Conn.
Roger began a tradition with his family of hiking Mt. Washington and skiing Tuckerman Ravine. Over the years, these trips to the White Mountains of New Hampshire have drawn in many extended family members and friends who continue to make it an annual pilgrimage to this day.
He and Nancy enjoyed travelling around the U.S. and beyond with their friends and making new ones along the way. These travels took them to Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi, and several ski destinations out west.
Roger is also survived by his sons Roger C. Adams III “Bo” and his wife Cindy of York, and Charles B. Adams and his wife Lisa of Ballston Lake, N.Y.
He was predeceased by his son, Peter S. Adams, in 2020. He will be dearly missed by his grandchildren Wyatt Adams, Courtney Tunney, Katie Adams, and John Adams.
He was the brother of Marilyn Adams D’Lizarraga, Roscoe Truitt, and Herbert Adams, all who have predeceased him.
Roger’s family would like to express their sincere gratitude to his home caregivers along with the incredible staff at McLean. Their caring and compassion brought much comfort and happiness during his final years.
A graveside service and celebration of life will take place at a later date. Please visit Roger’s Book of Memories at http://www.vincentfuneralhome.com for online tributes.
Memorial donations in Roger’s memory can be made to:
The Simsbury Land Trust
P.O. Box 634
Simsbury, CT 06070
The New England Ski Museum
2628 White Mountain Highway
North Conway, NH 03860
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