Harry ADIE

Harry Morton AdieI was both honored and humbled when my family asked me to write dad’s obituary. Harry Morton Adie was born November 4th, 1921 and went to be with Jesus, January 25th, 2006 about 7:45pm. Would that I could, tell you all about whom this great and wonderful man was except that I don’t guess this newspaper wants to publish my first book. So, here’s the short version.Dad was a quiet hero. He liked to share what he did and who he was but was always humble and gracious. When it came time to get serious, he never backed away. He was a top turret gunner and flight navigator in a B-24 during WWII with the 93rd Bombardment Group of the 8th Air Force. And, just a couple of days prior to the serious stroke which eventually took his life, he could be found ringing the Salvation Army bell in front of Basha’s store to raise funds for the needy. In all my years, I never saw dad fail to stop and aid a motorist in trouble or lend a hand to someone who needed help.Dad was a barbequed steak, seared on the outside and a little pink in the middle, a baked potato with butter and chives and a ‘Bourbon and 7’ sometimes with a twist. He was a cheeseburger plain, butter only, a Baskin Robbins Chocolate Fudge malt with a sugar cone broken up inside. He’s Big Band swing music and jazz.Do you remember when the trolley’s couldn’t get up Lake Street in Pasadena because someone greased the tracks on the hill or when the boys were caught racing their cars around the Santa Anita Horse Racing Track because one of them got a car stuck between two trees? Dad was there!Dad was a pioneer, building more than a dozen of southern California’s first cable TV systems not long after the first covered wagons came west, say about 1954-55. We don’t know how he found time to make five babies with his loving wife Yvonne. They celebrated their 60th Anniversary in June of 2005. Dad affectionately called mom ‘Queenie’ and did all he could to prove he meant it. She loved him back with equal enthusiasm.Somehow, he always managed to make time to teach his kids, Linda, Scott, Jim, Nancy and Kim about the really important things in life. A sense of humor, respect for elders, love of country, love of fellow man and a zest for living life to the fullest.As kids, we always had pets, mostly dogs because kids and dogs go together. When it was dad’s turn, he chose cats, most of them tabby cats who ended up a lot like him, just a little eccentric, pretty clever and a whole lot of fun.Dad never had much money, pioneers seldom do. But, what he did have, he managed to work wonders with. As children, we were treated to great adventures touring the California Redwoods, the Arizona Indian Country, Monument Valley, the west’s National Parks and his favorite ‘secret spots’. We traveled the west in our Dodge station wagon pulling an ill handling travel trailer affectionately named the ‘Draggin Wagon’ with dad’s hand painted dragon on the side.Another of dads pioneering ventures involved the development of Bridgeport California’s famed Car Wash system. That was any irrigation ditch or creek in a pasture that he could drive his Toyota Landcruiser into at great speed and stop in the middle while the splash engulfed the car. Of course the only way to properly clean the Toyota was with the top off and a full compliment of unsuspecting passengers.Dad can never be replaced; he was one-of-a-kind. It takes the best of all five of us kids to even come close. If you’d like to meet him, when you get to Heaven, you’ll find him dancing with the angels. They have swing music in Heaven you know!Harry is going to be dearly missed by his beloved family, wife, Yvonne B. Adie of Lake Havasu; sons, Scott (Judy) Adie of Reno, NV and James Adie of Carson City, NV; daughters, Linda (Cal) McGovern of Lake Havasu, Nancy (Bob) Camara of Lake Havasu and Kim (Dan) Frisk of Anchorage, AK; ten grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.The family requests that in lieu of gifts or flowers donations may be made to the Hospice of Havasu P.O. Box 597, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86405. We joyfully appreciate their caring and loving help and support during the time of dad’s passing. They’re the best!Thoughts and condolences may be submitted to the family at www.lietz-frazefuneralhome.com.Arrangements entrusted to Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home & Crematory.

Harry ADIE

January 25, 2006