On Wednesday, August 7, 2019, Jay Adams, the loving husband of Leila Johnson Adams, father of Julie Adams Rand and Ruthie Pickett, father-in-law of King Pickett, and grandfather of Caroline Carter Rand, Leila Elizabeth Pickett, and Carly Crafts Pickett, passed away peacefully in Daytona Beach at the age of 83. He is remembered fondly by his family, friends, colleagues, and fellow community ambassadors as a visionary leader for our area, and a mentor to those who pride themselves on demonstrating hard work, a love for family, the highest ideals, and a tremendous passion for community endeavors. Those who knew him well have lovingly referred to him as a proud husband, father and grandfather; dedicated board member; tireless fundraiser; leader; family man; 'friend raiser'; mentor; advisor; ambassador; advocate; and, most of all, as a faithful and trusted friend. Jay and his devoted wife of more than sixty years, Leila - who he married in 1958 in Avon Park, Florida - raised two daughters, Julie and Ruthie, who have remained in the area, and both of whom share his love for and commitment to the community. They, in turn, have raised their own families in Daytona Beach, and the family has always remained very close. Jay adored his wife, children, son-in-law, and grandchildren, and served actively on the boards of directors of the grandchildren's respective schools as they were growing up, in addition to never missing any opportunity to attend sporting events, recitals or other important events in their lives. His favorite things to do in his free time were taking trips with his family to Europe and Sun Valley, Idaho. He also enjoyed playing his trumpet and played a mean game of handball and racquetball.

A native Floridian, Jay Adams was born the son of John Carter Adams and Anna Katharine Beall Adams in Williston, Florida, in 1936. His family moved to Daytona Beach in 1939, where he spent his childhood and where he lived through high school. A graduate of Seabreeze High School, Jay earned his B.S. in business administration, with a major in insurance, from the University of Florida. After completing his degree at the University of Florida, he became an agent with Pan Am Insurance Company. Taking steps to further his career, he then worked for Guy B. Odom & Company for more than twenty years, earning the titles of Vice President, Executive Vice President, and President. Jay then spent thirteen years at Jay Adams & Associates, Inc. and assembled a highly regarded team of professionals to work with him in Daytona Beach. Jay later merged his company with Hilb, Rogal and Hamilton (HRH) in 1986, and he became the HRH's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Jay eventually sold his insurance company to Brown & Brown, joining them as a senior executive and member of the leadership council until his retirement in 2009. Considered a giant in the insurance field, Jay also promoted professional excellence in the insurance industry. He served as president of the Volusia County Insurers Association, director of the Florida Association of Insurance Agents and as a member of the national trade association, the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers. Second only to his commitment to his family, Jay was a community statesman and was widely regarded as a persistent leader and voice for those less fortunate. He once said, "All I have really tried to do is follow the advice I once received: that we all prosper from our community and are therefore obligated to try to give back, so as to make it a better place for all to live." Countless organizations benefited from his wise counsel and steady determination. He served as the president of the Daytona Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, the Daytona Beach Area Committee of 100, the FUTURES Foundation for Volusia County Schools, the Easter Seals Society, and the United Way of Volusia County. He was also a president of the board of the YMCA of Daytona Beach, President of the Rotary Club of Daytona Beach, Chairman of the Lively Arts Center Board, and Chairman of the executive committee of the Civic League of the Halifax Area. Jay was one of the leaders who championed the News-Journal Center Performing Arts facility, where he worked for many years to complete the fundraising for this complex project, against many odds. A valued member of St. James Episcopal Church and a vestry member for many years, Jay was heavily involved in fundraising and governance for St. James Episcopal Church and School, as well as Father Lopez High School, which his children and grandchildren attended. Perhaps his strongest commitment to the community was his support for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which dates to the school's arrival in Daytona Beach in 1965. As a member of the Committee of 100, the original committee responsible for bringing the University to Daytona Beach, Jay was one of the members to seek the eventual move of ERAU to Daytona Beach. In fact, it was widely known that in 1965, Jay and other visionaries headed to Miami to pack up the then meager holdings of ERAU in cardboard boxes and physically move the school to Daytona Beach in an assortment of cars and pickup trucks. "Operation Bootstrap", as it was known, moved Embry-Riddle operations from Dade County to Daytona Beach in a single weekend. Jay went on to serve on the board of directors of Embry-Riddle for 41 years - the longest tenure of anyone to serve - and later became named an Emeritus Member of the Board. He chaired the development committee and served on the academic and executive committees. As a trustee, he led the university's major capital campaigns that funded the construction of the ICI Center, the University Sports Complex and the Crotty Tennis Complex. Adams Hall, a residence hall on campus, is named in his honor. He received an honorary Doctorate degree in humane letters from ERAU in recognition of the instrumental nature of his involvement into the University's growth and success. The community was hard-pressed to find an athletic event when Jay and Leila Adams were not in the crowd, cheering on the student athletes and serving ERAU by bringing the rest of the community into the fold. A strong supporter of the athletics program at Embry-Riddle from its earliest days, Jay remained a fan of the Eagles, attending games, extending internship opportunities to student-athletes, and funding student scholarships. In 2015, he was honored as the second-ever distinguished member of the Embry-Riddle Eagles Hall of Fame. The Independent College and Universities of Florida also awarded Jay Adams their Champions of Higher Independent Education in Florida (CHIEF) award.

Additional honors received by Jay include the Lou Fuchs "Man of the Year" Award from the Daytona Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Herbert M. Davidson Community Service Award from the United Way Foundation. He was also recognized by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Volusia and Flagler Counties as the recipient of their Annual Community Champion Award and received the Distinguished Community Service Award from the Civic League of the Halifax Area. As stated by one of his close friends, "the list of honors and distinctions in Jay's career and civic endeavors is only exceeded by the many unmarked, quiet gestures of mentorship, counsel and dauntless leadership to so many of us that had the honor to call him a friend." Jay was predeceased by his mother and father and recently lost his brother William C. Adams on April 7, 2017. His brother, Guy B. Adams, is retired and resides in Missouri. Arrangements and services are under the careful direction of Lohman Funeral Home, Ormond Beach. The Memorial Service will be held at St. James Episcopal Church, 38 South Halifax Drive, in Ormond Beach, Florida, at 2:00 pm on Saturday, August 17, 2019. A reception will immediately follow the service at the Henderson Center at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (1 Aerospace Boulevard, Daytona Beach, Florida). In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Jay's honor may be made to the Jay and Leila Adams Family Athletic Endowed Scholarship via a link online at givingto.erau.edu/adams or mailed by check to ERAU – Office of Philanthropy, 1 Aerospace Blvd., Daytona Beach, Florida 32114.  Arrangements are under the care of Lohman Funeral Home Ormond Beach.   Condolences for the family may be shared at www.lohmanfuneralhomes.com .