Carl Robert Adams

Carl Robert Adams, 84, passed away peacefully at his home in Bloomington, MN on November 6, 2024. He was a beloved husband, brother, uncle, cousin, colleague, and friend of many. He will be remembered for his sharp intellect, warm laugh, thoughtful advice, and caring personality. Carl was a proud Yooper, born and raised in Michigan's Upper Peninsula in the copper mining town of Calumet. He never knew his father, Robert Newton Adams, who perished serving in World War II. His mother, Dorothy Vertin Adams, raised five children with Carl being the youngest. Carl attended Sacred Heart School and graduated from Sacred Heart High School with the class of 1958. While in high school he enjoyed playing basketball and participating in Calumet's JROTC program. He earned a bachelor's degree in applied physics from Michigan Technological University, then master's and PhD degrees from Purdue University. Carl married his high school sweetheart, Marlene Bracco, in 1963 at the former St. Joseph's Church in Calumet. Marlene and Carl were frequent visitors to their home town. The first stop was the local Pasty shop to not only enjoy a hot pasty but to also place an order for some to take back to Minnesota. Anyone that knew Carl knew of his enjoyment of good food. They embraced the idea of being Gophers, attending football, basketball, and their favorite hockey games. They enjoyed travel and all the culture of the Twin Cities. They always drove a Pontiac made in Michigan. After Marlene's passing in 2017, Carl established the Marlene Bracco Scholarship for a graduating Calumet High School student who planned to attend Michigan Tech. With newly minted training in operations, he was called into service to support Defense Secretary's Robert McNamara's strategic planning. The experience of modeling the possible outcomes of war shaped Carl to consider the human impact underlying any numerical analysis. Carl spent more than 40 years on the faculty at the University of Minnesota, serving in various leadership roles including department chair and special assistant to the president. His inimitable curiosity meant that he almost always had the most insightful question for the Friday workshop speaker and professed to know something about every topic imaginable. In recent years, he shared a zest for life with a dear friend, Jan Lynch. Carl further developed his taste for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the Guthrie Theater, Matzo Ball Soup, and long drives along the Mississippi River, much to the delight of both of them. Carl is survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews, doctoral students who he mentored, colleagues, his golfing pals, walking buddies, fellow bridge players and admiring friends. Carl was proceeded in death by his parents, wife, and his siblings, Mary Adams Jacobs, Bill Adams, Barbara Adams Deli, and John Adams. Funeral services for Carl will be held on December 17, 2024 at Pax Christi Catholic Community, 12100 Pioneer Trail, Eden Prairie, MN 55347. Visitation 10:00am, Funeral at 11:00 am. Spring burial will take place at Lake View Cemetery in Calumet, MI. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to your favorite charity or Michigan Technological University. Go Huskies!

Tributes

Carl Robert Adams

June 21, 1940 - November 6, 2024

Tributes

Carl Robert Adams

June 21, 1940 - November 6, 2024

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