William Earl Adams was born in Rockcastle County, Kentucky on December 27, 1924 to James Benton Adams and Grace Thompson Adams. The family moved when he was an infant to Lockland, Ohio where they lived for twelve years before moving back to Rockcastle County in 1937. Earl graduated from Brodhead High School. He attended Berea College from September 1941 to January 1943. He served in the United States Navy from 1943 until April 1946 as a radarman aboard the USS North Carolina. Earl graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 1948 with an BA degree and received a MA degree in 1949 from EKU. In June 1946 Earl married Brenda Lucille Scott.

Earl taught at Broadway Elementary School in Danville starting in 1949 and was named principal in 1952. He eventually became the first principal of Danville’s Jennie Rogers Elementary School. In 1957 he joined the Kentucky Department of Education as an Elementary Education supervisor. In 1961 he came back to Danville as principal of Edna L. Toliver School and served until his retirement in 1985. In 1986 Earl began seventeen years of part time work at North Point Training Center as a teacher and later as a guidance counselor.

Earl was a longtime member of Danville Church of Christ.

He is survived by his wife of 76 years Lucille Adams; sons William Earl (Madge) Adams, Jr. of Scottsdale, Arizona; Larry Scott (Joanne) Adams of Clarksville, Tennessee and a brother Keith Adams of Cincinnati, Ohio. His sister Mildred Whitaker predeceased him. Five grandchildren and several great grandchildren survive him. Important in his life were members of his extended Danville family. Visitation will be from 10 a.m to 11 a.m. at Stith Funeral Home on Wednesday June 29 with a graveside service at 11 a.m. in Bellevue Cemetery with Scott Vifquain officiating