James "Jay" Leander Adams III

A coconut in a world full of peaches, James Leander “Jay” Adams III, 86, of Spartanburg, SC, passed away on Thursday, April 3, 2025, to the surprise of exactly no one in his family.

It must be known that Jay was actively dying since the age of forty. At least that’s what he said. He made sure to tell his girls, “I won’t be around much longer,” on a near-daily basis. Indeed, he claimed no Adams man in his known lineage had lived past the age of 57, including his father, who passed mid-sentence while holding Jay’s hand in the hospital a mere two weeks before Jay’s wedding day.

To those early-to-die ancestors, Jay seemed to say, “Hold my beer.” In truth, he enjoyed a Coors Light, which is why all of his daughters know every word to Kenny Rogers’ “Lucille.”

Born and raised in Spartanburg, Jay attended Pine Street School and Jenkins Junior High School before finishing Spartanburg High School in 1957. Like his father, Jay graduated from Clemson University in 1961, where he was top of his class. He was awarded a Jay Spencer Love scholarship to Harvard Business School, graduating with his Master’s in Business Administration in 1965. 

A renowned local athlete, Jay got his first varsity letter before he even entered high school. A senior at Jenkins, he wanted to be on the track team, so he walked from junior high to the high school every day after school to make practice. Jay went on to letter in Track and Field that year. In Jay’s three years of high school, he started quarterback on the football team, point guard on the basketball team and shortstop on the baseball team. In track, he ran in relay events, threw the shot put and was a pole vaulter with “nice legs” according to an anonymous Spartanburg woman. In all, he earned 12 letters in high school sports, and he liked to reminisce about it any old time. He went on to play basketball at Clemson under coach Press Maravich. 

Jay wanted to raise a passel of athletes. He played sports endlessly with his girls. There was not a time that they wanted to throw a baseball, kick a soccer ball or play horse in the backyard that he was not game. 

At Clemson, Jay was also a member of the Pershing Rifles. He would later serve in the United States Army as a Second Lieutenant in the Second Infantry Division, stationed at both Fort Lee and Fort Benning.

 A lifelong Clemson Tiger, Jay’s blood ran orange. But he fell for Virginia Green, a known Gamecock, at a beach party in Cherry Grove. They were married in 1965 at the Moncks Corner Methodist Church. 

After a career in business, Jay became a tenured professor of Computer Programming at Limestone College. A favorite pastime of his on the commute to and from campus was to gun his Buick LeSabre as fast as he could and then pull his foot off the gas and see how far he could coast on Snake Road, much to the chagrin of his passengers, who were usually his children. 

Jay was preceded in death by his charming mother, “Felie” Adams, and larger-than-life father, James Leander “Big Jay” Adams II. He is survived by his younger siblings, Gene Adams (Brenda), Mary Hammock, and Libby Dym, all of Spartanburg, and their wonderful families. 

Jay is also survived by his dedicated wife of 59 years, the Gamecock, and their three daughters: Kristan Adams (Jim Knoer) of Atlanta, GA, who inherited his studious tenacity and his hot temper; Jennifer Adams (also a Clemson Tiger!) (John Carey) of Anderson, SC, who inherited his math genius and his hot temper; and Leanna Adams (George Leach) of Atlanta, GA, who inherited his love of four legged creatures and his hot temper. Did we clearly mention his hot temper? 

He is also survived by seven beloved grandchildren: Virginia Knoer, Drew Knoer, Adam Knoer, Olivia Adams (a Tiger!), Victoria Carey, Joseph Carey and Shannon Leach. The doted-on-grands also received his incessant worry and steadfast love.

 A proud, humble, shy man who preferred being home “doing yard work” with a dog or cat trailing him, he liked best to be surrounded by his family. Living like a dying man nearly all his life meant worrying over his children and grandchildren perpetually. This was, it turned out, Jay’s love language, and it was quite strong. His sharp wit and constant love will be dearly missed. 

A graveside service will be held Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at 10am at Greenlawn Cemetery. Family and friends are welcome. 

The family requests that any memorials be directed to Wounded Warriors or Shriners Children’s Hospital Greenville.