Friends, family prepare to remember Adams

Family, friends, and colleagues will gather on Thursday and Friday to pay their final respects to IU Student Media Director Dave Adams. \nAdams came to IU in 1989 to teach journalism courses and supervise the Indiana Daily Student and the Arbutus yearbook. He was found Saturday evening unresponsive in his backyard pond. His death was ruled an accidental drowning. \nThe visitation begins at 5 p.m. and lasts until 8 p.m. on Thursday at Allen Funeral Home, 3000 E. 3rd Street. \nDuring the visitation, friends, family and colleagues will be able to look at pictures, a slideshow and have the chance to talk about Dave’s life. \nThe memorial service will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday at Unity of Bloomington, a center for spiritual growth, 4001 S. Rogers Street. \nAssistant Director/Business of IU Student Media, Susan Elkins said there will be time to reflect on Adam’s life during the service. Elkins said University Chancellor Ken Gros Louis, Dean of the IU School of Journalism Bradley Hamm and former Dean of the IU School of Journalism Trevor Brown will be speaking on Dave’s professional life. \nElkins, who was a cancer patient in 2004, said every time she had surgery, Dave would sit with her husband and children. \n“It was special to take the time out of his day to do that for me,” Elkins said. “But that was the type of person he was.” \nEditor-in-Chief Zachary Osterman said he thinks the outpouring of support the IDS has received suggests there will be a lot of people coming to Bloomington to pay their final respects to Dave. \n“It’s a testament to the man to show how well liked he was and how good he was at his job,” Osterman said. \nOsterman explained that Dave was loved because he was both professional and personal, and there was never any concern too big or too small for him. \n“We never worked for Dave,” Osterman said. “We worked with Dave.” \nDirector of Communications, Beth Moellers, said a couple of alumni have mentioned doing another service in the fall for students who are not in Bloomington this summer. Although nothing is confirmed, she said it is definitely an option. \nUnity of Bloomington’s parking lot holds around 70 cars, and visitors are allowed to park behind the building. If needed, overflow parking will be at Batchelor Middle School across the street. \nIU Student Media is coordinating transportation to and from the Indianapolis airport this week for the visitation and memorial service. If anyone needs a ride or wants to share a ride, please contact Support Services Director Rebekah Spivey at 812-855-0767 or through e-mail at spiveyr@indiana.edu.