Baxter Adams, Jr.

George Baxter Adams, Jr., passed away peacefully in his sleep Wednesday, March 21, 2018, just shy of his 90th birthday. A celebration of his life will be held graveside at Oakwood Cemetery, Waco, Texas, 3:00 p.m., Saturday, March 24, with Pastor Mark Wible officiating. Baxter was born in Paducah, Texas, to Baxter, Sr., and Nell Boutwell Adams. He graduated from Waco High and was manager of the state co-championship football team in 1945. He attended Baylor University for 2 years, and graduated from the University of Texas with a Master’s Degree in Geology. He was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity and the Texas Cowboys. In 1952 he married Carol Nash of Waco. He was employed in Houston by Shell Oil Co., Edwin Allday Independent Oil Co., McCormack Oil & Gas, and was owner of Sunbelt Oil & Gas. In 1981 he retired from the oil business and bought Love Creek Ranch in the Hill Country and pioneered the Texas Apple Industry. He was also the first to propagate the Native Texas Bigtooth Maple Tree. After 25 years they sold the ranch and moved to Kerrville in 2002. Baxter and Carol donated 1400 acres of their ranch to the Nature Conservancy to create Love Creek Preserve in Bandera County. Their gift demonstrated their commitment to conservation and helped ensure their legacy will be enjoyed by future generations of Texans. He was preceded in death by his parents; his granddaughter, Audrey Ellen Ducote; and his brother-in-law, James Roberts Nash. He is survived by his wife, Carol Nash Adams; sister, Katherine Adams Stanley, PhD; three daughters, Ellen Adams Ducote and husband, Lester, Ann Adams Landry and husband, Christopher and Kelley Adams Burgess and husband, Bob; six grandchildren, Alexander Mark Ducote and wife, Lillian Sonnenberg, Anna Carol Landry, Laura Ellen Burgess Harris and husband, Ben, Robert Baxter Burgess and wife, Amanda Scott, Beryl Ann Burgess Blake and husband, Travis, and Lillian Virginia Burgess; four great grandchildren, Jack and Emerson Harris, and Maggie and Clara Burgess; nieces, Carolyn Thompson and husband, Terry, and Sandra Nash Delk and husband, Steve. Memorial donations may be made to Schreiner University, Schreiner.edu, The Nature Conservancy, nature.org, and specify Love Creek Preserve, and Shiloh Place, shilohplacemckinney.com. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.