Robert Adair

Rev. Robert Harold (Bob) Adair, 70, departed from his earthly home in Dumfries, VA to enter his eternal heavenly home on Aug.17, 2017,after living victoriously and faithfully with cancer for the past 3 years. He often quoted the verse, “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain”. (Philippians 1:21) as he shared with everyone he met the hope that was within him as he finished his course of this earthly life..
Bob is survived by his wife of 45 years, Deborah , his children and their spouses, Rebecca Hellmann and husband Thomas (Ric), of Dumfries, VA and Matthew and wife Julie Adair of Bloomington, MN and by the delight of his life, his grandchildren, Jacob, Caleb and Savannah Hellmann and Eloise and Adeline Adair. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Lorene Adair of Leoma, TN.
Following graduation from Loretto High School in TN, Bob enlisted in the US Navy and served 4 years during Viet Nam as an aviation electrician. After leaving the Navy, he completed his education at the University of North Alabama and then received his Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He was the pastor of 3 churches before receiving a commission into the US Navy Chaplain Corp in 1979, and enjoyed a 20 year ministry aboard ships, on Navy and Marine bases, and with the US Coast Guard. He served in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets and deployed with the Marines to Korea and Okinawa, and with the Coast Guard to the Caribbean for the Haitian and the Cuban boat lifts.
After retirement from the Navy with the rank of Commander, Bob accepted the call to pastor Highland Park Baptist Church in Columbia, TN, where he served for 12 years, completing his Doctor of Ministry degree during this time. After retiring from full time ministry, he then enjoyed ministering as the interim pastor for three local churches while continuing to be active in the community and in serving the Columbia American Legion as their chaplain, as well as serving two terms as state chaplain for the Tennessee American Legion. During the last year and a half of his life, Bob and Deborah moved to Virginia to be near family, and he continued to encourage others by his faith.
A Celebration of Life memorial service will be at Highland Park Baptist Church on Sunday, Aug. 20, at 2:00. The family will receive visitors before and after the service. Internment with military honors will be held at Quantico National Cemetery, Virginia, on Tues. Aug.22 at 2:00. The family requests that anyone wishing to honor Bob not send flowers but rather donate to the benevolence fund at Maury County Veterans Services, or to the missions fund of Highland Park Baptist Church.