Clements David Adair 1899-1951

The fourth child, born in Pinetop on December 8, 1899, was named Clements, or Clem as everyone called him. He was married on December 24, 1917 in Lakeside, Arizona to Violet Helen Packer, daughter of Nephi Taylor Packer and Mazetta Penrod. They had eleven children: Edgar Clements, Kenneth Adrian, Goldie Marie, Virginia Evelyn, John Taylor, Mavis June, Millie Louise, Guy William, Wanda Irene, Marjorie Velda, and Shirley Loree.

Clem cut logs for a living. It must have been difficult labor because he used a crosscut saw. He had epilepsy and would sometimes have several seizures in one day. He took Phenobarbital to control it. Clem liked to wrestle and even required his future son-in-law, Louis Daniel, to wrestle him in order to marry his daughter, Virginia. He was also fascinated with electrical storms and enjoyed watching the lightning from his front porch.

Clem died on August 2, 1951 at the Arizona State Hospital in Phoenix while trying to overcome alcoholism. It was the only help available for the alcoholic who wanted to "dry out". His son, Kenneth, believes his father may have been killed by the guards there. Kenneth and Dell, Clem's brother, drove to Phoenix in the 1947 Chevrolet pickup to bring Clem back to Pinetop for burial.

Please feel free to contact Delbert Adair Jr. at the following address: dtadair@att.net

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