8 Apr 1935 – 27 Aug 1981
Great-Grandson of Philip Cardon and Martha Marie Tourn
Grandson of Thomas Barthelemy Cardon and Ella Clarinda Hinckley
Son of Roy Lambert Adams and Ella Vida Cardon.
Newspaper article relating to the death of Kirk Adams
Kirk Adams, an elementary principal 17 of his 18 years in the Clark County School District, was killed by lightning Saturday afternoon at Louder Creek, Utah.
Adams had a premonition of death one week before he was struck by the bolt near a fishing pond 3 1/2 miles from Brian Head, Utah.
The 46 year old father of three took his 19-year -old daughter, Lisa, fishing at the pond near the family’s cabin in Utah. A storm came up and amid the lightning and thunder, the two took shelter under a group of pine trees.
“Dad was wrapping a piece of plastic around my sister to keep her dry,” explained 23-year old Kelly Adams, who had accompanied his father to the same fishing pond one week before. “The lightning struck and she felt her windbreaker and the plastic melt around her. She fell back and said, “I’m dead, I’m dead.”
“Seconds later my father fell over dead. Lisa tried to resuscitate him but couldn’t.”
Lisa, with third-degree burns on her back and a blistered stomach and sides, ran 2 1/2 miles from the isolated area where she finally found help.
“Mom almost never came up to the cabin,” Kelly said. “But she had surprised Dad that morning and came up. He was really happy and threw his arms around her and hugged her.”
Sheran Adams found her husband. The ambulance from Cedar City was delayed by the storm and a four-wheeled vehicle removed the victim, who was pronounced dead on arrival at the Cedar City Hospital.
“The impact of the lightning blew all his clothes off,” Kelly said. “It looked like someone hit him with a bomb. It was a one in a million deal.”
Kelly said his father had told his mother and some school administrators about the death premonition.
Adams was an Air Force veteran of the Korean War. He was past president of Principals of the State of Nevada and instrumental in promoting legislation for the deaf and the handicapped.
The program he directed at the Ruby S. Thomas School for the Deaf was selected as one of the top in the U.S. He had been principal of Mountainview Elementary School for seven years. the last two years, he was principal of Doris Hancock Elementary School.
Adams was the legislative representative for the area council PTA.
Ironically, Kelly will begin his first year as a teacher at the Matt Kelly sixth Grade Center this year and his 22-year-old sister Robin will begin her student teaching at Pat Diskin Elementary School.
The viewing will be from 7-9 p.m. Tuesday in Palm Mortuary and for one hour before the noon service Wednesday in the Lorenzi Stake LDS Chapel.
He will be buried Thursday in Logan City Cemetery in Logan, Utah.
by Matt Hamilton, Sun Staff Writer
