Kenneth John Adam

Kenneth J. Adam, 77, passed away November 7, 2026 at Cleveland Clinic Justin T. Rogers Hospice Care Center with family by his side after an 11-year battle with prostate cancer. Born August 17, 1949, in Akron, Ohio, Ken grew up and lived his entire life in Firestone Park. He graduated from Garfield High School in 1967 where he was a stand-out on the football team, earning him a full scholarship to the University of West Virginia in Morgantown.
Ken had 40 years of service with the Akron Public Schools with the majority of his years were spent teaching physical education at Goodyear Middle School. He also coached the boys' basketball team and track for 28 of those years. Prior to his last year of retirement, he transferred to Garfield High School conveniently located two blocks from home, allowing him to walk to work. He truly enjoyed his job and the children that he taught. He learned from them just as they learned from him. Oh, the stories he could tell. He always said he should have written a book.
His love of football guided him in the path of assistant coaching the sport at the high school level at Central Hower, East High, Buchtel and Barberton.
Ken was an avid golfer ever since he was young. He even caddied at the Firestone Golf Championships on occasion. He played in Knights of Columbus leagues, yearly Jednota Club golf tournaments, but especially looked forward to his Monday, Wednesday and Friday golf days with his Spring Hills buddies since retiring.
Ken and Judy spent three months of winter in Daytona Beach Shores, FL, where family and friends often came to visit. He couldn't wait to get there to be able to sit on the balcony drinking coffee every morning while looking out over the ocean and walk the beach. He had his favorite restaurants all picked out in the order he wanted to frequent a month before they left. This is something that he genuinely looked forward to this winter but knew in his heart he would not be able to make it.
Ken was preceded in death by his parents Robert and Elizabeth (Hritz) Adam; father-in-law Ronald Perry. He is survived by his brother Robert "Bobby" and sister Paula Adam; mother-in-law Janet Perry; sister-in-law Barbara Ott; brother-in-law Ronald Perry, Jr.; devoted wife of 43 years and love of his life always putting her first, Judy (Perry); sons Shawn (Natalie) of Middleburg Heights, OH and Steve "Pudge" Kelly of Cuyahoga Falls, OH; daughter Lindsay (Christian) Peloza of Orlando, FL; grandchildren Bryson Kelly, Ella and Lily Longmuir.
The family will receive friends on Friday, November 13, 2026, 5-8 pm, at the Anthony Funeral Home - Akron Chapel, 1990 S. Main St. in Akron. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, November 14, 10 am at St. Augustine Catholic Church 204 6th St NW, Barberton. A private inurnment will take place at Holy Cross Cemetery in Akron. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ken's memory to The Prostate Cancer Foundation by visiting www.pcf.org, Cleveland Clinic Justin T. Rogers Hospice Care Center by calling 330.344.6888 or to The Humane Society of Summit County by visiting www.summithumane.org.

God saw he was getting tired
And a cure was not to be
So He put His arms around you
And whispered 'Come with Me.'
With tearful eyes
We watched you suffer
And saw you fade away,
Although we loved you dearly
We could not make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
Hard working hands at rest,
God broke our hearts to prove
He only takes the best.