Jesse James Adams Jr., of Meridian, Idaho, passed away Sunday, August 18, 2024 at home. He had just celebrated his 66 th birthday.
Jesse was born in Alameda, California on August 4, 1958, to Cloteal Lavanda Adams and Jesse James Adams Sr. He was raised in Oakland.
He attended Saint Mary’s College High School, then went on to attend a community college to study music. Due to his ongoing health issues, he had to put his education on hold for a time. Jesse was born with Polycystic Kidney Disease which affected him throughout his entire life. After being on dialysis for ten years, Jesse received a kidney transplant at age 27.
With his improved health, he was able to work as a musician and attended San Jose State University. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering and went on to work at Lockheed Martin in San Jose.
Jesse met his wife, Cathy, in 2004 and the two began a long-distance relationship. When Cathy would visit Jesse, he enjoyed taking her to Angel Island, Sausalito, and Half Moon Bay. They got married in 2007 and continued to visit each other often while both were still working. Jesse finally moved to Twin Falls in 2011, and they later moved to Meridian to be closer to family.
Jesse introduced Cathy to his love of taking train trips. They traveled by rail through many states and loved seeing the country from their Amtrak sleeper car. His love for trains also earned him the name “Choo-Choo” from his six grandchildren.
Much to the family’s delight, Jesse was an accomplished cook in the kitchen. He could always be counted on during holidays and special occasions to prepare exquisite meals from scratch, often spending several days preparing leading up to the meal. He always replied with the same phrase after receiving high praise from everyone: “Glad you liked it.”
Jesse was an avid sports fan and followed many Bay area teams. He could often be found cheering on (or yelling at) the Warriors, Giants, and 49ers. He shared his love of sports with Cathy, and they spent countless hours dedicated to watching and discussing their favorite teams and players.
His other true love in life was music. Jesse spent years as a professional musician, booking gigs and playing shows with his group “Rhythm, Soul, and Power.” He inherited his musical talent from his mother, who he would also perform with at many gigs. Jesse wrote and played music his entire life, and even had his own studio set up in his home in Meridian.
Once in Idaho, Jesse also became a dog lover, which he didn’t really have a choice about, given Cathy’s love for rescuing dogs. At the time of his passing, they had three dogs – Chase, Ida, and Pete. If Jesse had a favorite, which of course he didn’t, the clear winner would have been Ida. Throughout all of Jesse’s medical issues and declining health from his kidney disease, Ida never left his side.
Jesse’s service will be officiated by Nick Duffel of Hill City Church, located at Bowman Funeral Parlor, 10254 W. Carlton Bay Dr., Garden City, Idaho, on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, at 2pm.