ADAMS, Stephen – Peacefully with family by his side on Sunday, July 30, 2023 at University Hospital in his 79th year, Stephen Jon Adams, Professor Emeritus, Western University, Department of English and Writing Studies; beloved husband for 53 years of Ruth; loving father of Richard (Daina Whitefoot) and the late Barbara Adams (Kevin Swalwell); proud Grandpa of Benjamin, Rhys and Charles; predeceased by sister Barbara Jean Carroll (daughter Linda) and Nancy Clare Holmes (daughters Jeanne and Julie);survived by brother C. Richard Adams (wife Grace deceased) and their children Wendi, Jeffery and Matthew and sister Sandra Stark (Shieky Brownstone) and her sons Daniel and Andrew; remembered by sister-in-law Barbara Dunlop-Mohammad (husband Kamal deceased) and several nieces and nephews.
He grew up in Minneapolis completing his Bachelor of Arts at the University of Minnesota in 1966. He then moved to Canada in 1967 to pursue his post graduate studies at the University of Toronto where he received his Master of Arts and Ph.D. by 1974. After marriage in 1970, he moved to London Ontario where he began teaching at Western University and remained there as an English professor for over 30 years specializing in Modernism and American literature, prosody and metrical theory. Stephen’s principal focus remained with the works of author Ezra Pound. On the musical side, he has written about Canadian composer R. Murray Schafer, and the musical and literary inter-relationships as they relate to Ezra Pound. Stephen was a university professor & educator, author, poet, composer & violinist along with being a proud member of the First-St. Andrew’s United Church Choir & Council.
In retirement Stephen has pursued his many interests as author, poet, and composer of music. He has authored 5 books throughout his lifetime and many articles in literary journals and magazines as he was a man with epic knowledge and endless curiosity. Extremely modest, he was also the kindest, most sensitive, and wisest humanist. Aside from caring foremost for his wife and family, he followed his literary pursuits and was passionate about opera.
A memorial service will be conducted at First-St. Andrew’s United Church, 350 Queens Ave. at Waterloo St., on Friday September 8th @ 11:00am.
Friends and family may view a recording of the service at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vezmnFEYZo
As an expression of sympathy, donations in memory of Stephen can be made to the following:
Friends of Music @ First-St. Andrew’s United Church, Doctors Without Borders, or London Food Bank
“Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope. Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we must be saved by love.” –Reinhold Niebuhr