Ozella Barbour Adams

Ozella Barbour Adams passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 6, 2012.Born on September 11, 1918, Mrs. Adams was the daughter of the late Rellie and Ila Barbour and lived her entire life in her beloved hometown of Angier.She was predeceased by her husband of 18 years, Winfield James Adams, and by her four sisters, Ellen Fish, Hilda Gibbs, Rita Vertz and Peggy Roth.Known affectionately as Grandma Oze, Ms. Ozella, Aunt Ozie or just Mrs. Adams, she often described herself as a Harnett County farm girl schoolteacher. Honored as Angier High Schools valedictorian at age 17, Mrs. Adams later went on to graduate from Campbell College and in 1939 from what was then known as East Carolina Teachers College.She majored in both English and History in addition to being certified in Library Science.For 37 years, she either taught or served as a librarian for the Lee and Harnett County school systems.Mrs. Adams showed great passion for her family, church, career, hometown and her garden.Though she loved to travel, vacations were sometimes postponed if it was time to harvest her butterbeans. She was a dedicated lifelong Angier Baptist Church member, teaching Sunday School there and serving in other leadership roles for more than 49 years.Upon her retirement in 1980, Mrs. Adams continued to be quite active in community activities such as the Retired School Personnel of Harnett County, Angier Senior Citizens Club and recently the Angier High School Alumni Association.Also she served on the Board of the Angier Public Library from 1970 to 2007.To her, there was no better place than her little town of Angier.She will be remembered for her strength and spirit in raising her three girls; instilling in them her great work ethic and honest effort to always do what was right.She taught others to be proud and not let anyone run over you, but also to never make a scene.She was always a kind and gracious Southern lady.Her family comes first attitude is only one of many cherished legacies she leaves behind. Mrs. Adams is survived by her three daughters, Anne Adams of Raleigh, Dale ONeal and husband, David, of Raleigh, and Kathy Adams and husband, Bill Bohlken, of Burlingame, California; grandchildren Jennifer Spence, June Spence and husband Scott Huler, Katie and Brett ONeal, and Caroline and Fielding Bohlken; great grandchildren Louie and Gus Huler and numerous nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.The family will receive friends on Thursday, May 10, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Bryan Lee Funeral Home in Angier.Funeral services will be held at the Angier Baptist Church on Friday, May 11, at 11:00 a.m., with a brief graveside service to follow at the Angier Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery.Memorials may be sent in the form of flowers or contributions to the Angier Baptist Church stained glass windows fund or the Angier Public Library in her honor.