Jamie Adair – Rear Admiral, United States Navy

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Retired Navy Rear Adm. Jamie Adair, 89, former commanding officer of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia, died June 29, 2005, at the Naval Hospital in  Portsmouth.

Born in Syosset, New York, on January 16, 1916, Admiral Adair was the son of Jamie and Barbara Anderson Adair. Following his graduation from the Naval Academy, he was commissioned an Ensign on June 2, 1938, and was assigned to the cruiser USS Vincennes.

He received a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1944 and was ship superintendent at the New York Naval Shipyard in Brooklyn. After service in Europe and at the Bureau of  Ships in Washington, D.C., he returned to the New York shipyard. He became material officer with the Commander Mine Force with the Atlantic Fleet.

From 1948 to 1952 he taught at the Naval Academy, where he was the co-author of the text, “Fundamentals of Naval Construction and Ship Stability” published by the Naval Institute in 1953. He served at the Bureau of  Ships and then attended the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He was planning and then production  officer at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard before commanding the Long Beach, California, Naval Shipyard.

Admiral Adair became assistant chief for design and shipbuilding at the Bureau of Ships and in 1966, when he advanced to the rank of Rear Admiral, was deputy commander for ship acquisitions for the Naval Ship Systems Command. After serving as deputy commander for  plans, programs and financial management, he commanded
the Norfolk shipyard. In 1972 he retired and settled in Portsmouth.

Among his many medals were the Legion of Merit, the Europe-Africa-Middle East Cam- paign Medal and the Navy Occupation Service Medal with European Clasp.

Active in business, church and community affairs, he was named First Citizen of Portsmouth for 1981 and was chairman of the South Hampton Roads United Way board. He headed the Portsmouth Museum and Fine Arts Commission, was the governor’s appointee to the Virginia Naval Museum Authority and belonged to the Portsmouth Kiwanis Club. He also was a former vestryman of Trinity Episcopal Church.

Admiral Adair married the former Barbara Ann Almond of Round Bay, Severna Park, who died in 1973. He then married the former Theodosia Jaudon MacKenzie of  Portsmouth. He was predeceased by a son, Jamie Anderson.

In addition to his wife, surviving are two daughters, Barbara Anne Norcross of Severna Park and Jared Adair of Columbia; three stepdaughters, Julia Todd of  Portsmouth, Mary Christina Hamill of Fairfax, Va., and Ellen Wise of Chestertown; three siblings, Barbara Goodman of Miami, Fla., Eleanor Adair of Myrtle Beach,  S.C., and Robin Adair of Greenville, S.C.; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Trinity Episcopal Church, 500 Court St., Portsmouth, where arrangements are by Foster Funeral Home. Burial will be  at 10 a.m. July 22 at Arlington National Cemetery. In  lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Portsmouth  Area Resources Coalition, PO Box 1183, Portsmouth, VA
23705.

ADAIR, JAMIE

  • RADM   US NAVY
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 01/16/1916
  • DATE OF DEATH: 06/29/2005
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 10  SITE 11152
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

ADAIR, BARBARA ANNE

  • DATE OF BIRTH: 10/10/1917
  • DATE OF DEATH: 06/04/1973
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 10  SITE 11152
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
    WIFE OF ADAIR, JAMIE RADM US NAVY

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