Don's Life Story

Donald Joseph Lambi Adams, Don, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on August 11, 1926.  His parents were Lambi Adams and Hosanna (Rose) Hirbour.  His sister, Dorothy Jeanne, arrived 18 months later.  Sadly, his parents soon separated. Rose returned to her mother's home with 2 babies and went to work. Don and Dorothy entertained family with tales of their childhood, living with their French Canadian relatives, Aunt Angeline, Uncle Joe, Cousin Gloria, Aunt Claire and "Grand'Mere".  Every so often they visited their father and Albanian relatives.  Lambi, and his brother Mike, ran "Adams Spa", a restaurant in downtown Worcester. They served breakfast and lunch to the nearby factory workers, sold candy, ice cream, comic books, "smokes" and brewed beer.  Don said if only he kept those original Superman and Spiderman comic books- big $$$.  Don's first language was French. He attended Catholic School taught by an order of sisters from Canada.  Don received a bilingual education. In the morning, French was the only language spoken in the classroom. The students went home for lunch, and returned to their classroom with the same sister who now only spoke English.  At a young age, Don survived diphtheria and was held back one year in school.  This may be difficult to believe but, he was an extremely shy child, due in part to the drama and trauma he experienced in childhood.

Don's family moved several times around Worcester and later to Leominster, Massachusetts. The BIG move came when he was 14 yo. His mother, her new husband, "The Skipper", Don, Dorothy and Uncle Leo moved to Los Angeles for better weather and employment opportunities.

Don attended John Adams Jr. High School and later Mt. Carmel High School.  He asked to enlist in the Marines after Pearl Harbor was attacked, but his mother refused to give her permission. So, on his 18th birthday he went to the recruiting center and asked to enlist. He was moved to the front of the line. His first choice, the Marines were not accepting recruits, instead he was offered the Navy.  The one time Don was on a boat in Boston Harbor he became seasick. He told the recruiter because of this, he did not want to join the Navy. The recruiter said, "then you're in the Army.  He did not return to Mt. Carmel that fall.  Prior to going overseas, Robert John Bock, Don's younger brother was born.

He left home from Fort MacArthur for Camp Hood, Texas and Boot Camp.  From there, it was on to Europe.  Don served in the Third Army under General George S. Patton.  He trained to be a tank driver although he did not have a driver's license.  As Don would say, "I got in at the tail *** end of the war".  However, he was with the US Forces that liberated the German Concentration Camp at Mauthausen, Austria in 1945. (Note)

After the war, Don stayed in the peace time Army for several more months. He took various aptitude tests, scoring so well he was told, "This is unusual, people don't get smarter in the Army".  He was approached about becoming an officer, but he thought that would be boring and declined the offer. The Army kept sending him to school.  After the war ended, there were so many soldiers with battlefield commissions, there was nothing available except clerical assignments which did not interest him.

Don returned home and completed high school attending evening classes. He wanted to attend USC on the GI Bill (he could walk to campus). He asked his mother if he went to college, could he stay at home and work part-time.  Rose left grammar school at an early age to work in a factory and did not see the value in education.  She told him no, that she expected him to work and contribute to the family income.  Don worked at various small manufacturing companies in Los Angeles, but when there was no work, he was let go.  After a third lay-off, he applied to the Post Office as they did not lay- off employees.

Don was a very good bowler. That is where he met Lucy Betes, the love of his life, while she was bowling in a Catholic Singles league. Don saw Lucy at Windsor Bowl and "it was love at first sight".  Lucy thought he was "good looking".  Don was there on his night off from the Post Office to fill in if any team needed a "sub" bowler.  Don asked Lucy for her phone number. She told him she would be there every Tuesday for the next five months. He said with rotating days off, it would be weeks before he would be there on a Tuesday night.  But, Lucy held firm – he did not get her number. The following Tuesday, there was Don. He had called off sick but this time he got her number.  Their first date, a Notre Dame vs USC football game at the Los Angeles Coliseum, was on December 1, 1951.  That Saturday it was pouring rain and the field was covered by fog.  Notre Dame was losing, when Don asked Lucy if she wanted to leave. She meekly nodded yes. Later, listening to the radio in Don's car, freshman QB Ralph Guglielmi, somehow threw a winning pass for ND.  Don had a large wager for ND to win and they celebrated by purchasing a bottle of champagne at the Zamboanga South Seas Club. The ND vs USC rivalry would become a family favorite, attending in person or watching on TV.

Don & Lucy married on September 19, 1953 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Hawthorne, California.  Lucy Mary, Robert Michael Joseph and Donald Joseph Gregory were born over the next 3 ½ years. Their lives were busy with church, school, scouts, car-trip vacations and visits with extended family. It was a wonderful life and Hawthorne was a great place to live. Don took his vacation time to accompany Bob and Don as a troop chaperone to summer Boy Scout Camps on Catalina Island and in the San Bernardino Mountains.  The scouts thought he was pretty cool, for a Dad.

Don's postal career was an "inside job".  Over his 35 years with the Postal Service, he advanced from a Window Clerk to a General Foreman.  Pre "zip codes" and machines, Don had to learn "schemes" to do his job and to advance. He would study at home using cards identifying every city in California and the associated "zone" or name to throw mail into the correct mail bag. Your score was calculated on how fast and how many pieces of mail you could read and toss into the correct mail bag for delivery to the correct postal center. The family would help him practice "schemes".  For the rest of his life he was able to identify California cities by their "zone". Now, it is all automated.

Don retired in 1979 and Lucy retired in 1998. They took road trips, including a cross country bus trip, visited Hawaii three times and cruised Alaska.  In 1983, they moved to Huntington Beach, leaving behind their life in Hawthorne. Don got involved at Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic Church, transferring to the newly formed Knights of Columbus Council 8338 and joining the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. They enjoyed meeting people and activities in both groups, easily making many new wonderful friends.

A lifelong, mostly self-taught learner, Don remembered so many things he had studied or read about. Many people assumed he was a university professor or college educated as he was so knowledgeable on just about everything.  History, science, religion, nature and politics.  You name it.

Don kept busy in retirement. He worked several years part-time as an usher for the Anaheim Convention Center. There he met many interesting people at the various trade shows, conferences and events.  He volunteered weekly at the VA Hospital in Long Beach. Pushing wheelchairs and gurneys all over the facility for 16 years until he was 93 yo. Now for that "Note", by chance he overheard a veteran saying as a child he survived Mauthausen and how indebted he was to the USA and the soldiers who liberated the camp.  Don told him, "I rescued you!"  The man speaking was Tibor Rubin, who later was in the Korean War and earned the Medal of Honor and two Purple Hearts for his heroics while being held in a Chinese POW camp.

In October 2015, Don was sponsored by his friend Shane Schmidt, for the first Orange County Honor Flight. Don, along with his son Bob as guardian, flew to Washington, DC and spent 4 days visiting the many memorials and meeting other WWII veterans.  A very special time for father and son to spend together.

During his lifetime Don faced cancer three times.  Ocular melanoma, lung cancer and bladder cancer.  He was ever grateful to have received treatment that was effective.  He prayed the rosary several times daily, using a rosary from Jerusalem. It was given to him by Stan Cohen, a local columnist who was Jewish, who had visited the Holy Land with his Catholic wife. Don met Stan when his wife was also undergoing chemotherapy treatments. He often prayed in French or Latin.  St. Mother Teresa, an Albanian who he claimed we must be related to, and St. Jude, were his go-to saints.

Don loved God, his wife, his children, his family and friends.  Don went home to God on November 4, 2025 at the age of 99. He was to be recognized by the American Legion Newport Harbor Post 291 on November 6, 2025 as one of their few living WWII Veteran members.  He was preceded in death by his wife Lucy and son Robert. He is survived by daughter, Lucy Hickey (David), son, Don (Karen), daughter-in-law Marilyn, his sister Dorothy, and brother Bob.  His faithful companion, Benjie, looking for his master, is now with Lucy and David. His compassionate caregivers, Tessie, Maria and Susana helped him to stay in his home after Lucy died.  A blessing for all of us.  Until earlier this year, the "ladies" regularly took him to play poker at The Gardens. He only stopped because he did not like the type of poker now being played.  Don's sense of humor, knowledge, kindness, handyman and card playing skills, will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

A Rosary will be said and a Funeral Mass celebrated on Thursday, November 20, 2025 at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, located at 8345 Talbert Ave, Huntington Beach, CA  92646.  The Rosary will be recited at 10:15 am followed by Mass at 11:00 am. After graveside services at Good Shepherd Cemetery, a luncheon will be served in the parish hall.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a charity of your choice.

Charities Don supported include:

Missionaries of Charity
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Vincent de Paul Society
Veteran's Charities, such as the Gary Sinise Foundation