Hazel J. (Lynch) Adams

Obituary

Class of 1949

Mar. 20, 1931 – Aug. 4, 1960

Former Weiser Man, 32 Held for Medford Murder

MEDFORD, Ore. A woman was slain as she slept in her home here early Thursday, and minutes later her divorced husband telephoned the city attorney and said he had killed her.

The victim was Hazel Jean Adams, 28. Jailed and charged with first degree murder was Keith Duane Adams, 32, of Central Pointe. His hearing was scheduled today. The couple’s divorce became final only last Monday. City Attorney Joel Reeder said Adams phoned him early Thursday morning and said he had hit his wife on the head with a trailer hitch, then had strangled her. He said it followed an argument that came when he said he was going to Weiser, Idaho, to visit his parents. Reeder said he did not know the parents’ name. Adams said he was going to kill himself, Reeders said, but after some conversation, agreed to wait for police.

The couple’s two children, a boy 10 and a girl 8, slept through it all. They were awakened by police who came to get Adams, and were taken to a friend’s home.

Police said Adams told them he had phoned his parents before calling Reeder to make certain the children would be cared for.

Services for Mrs. Adams will be held at Vale Monday at 10 a.m. at the Weible and High chapel and interment will be at Valley View.

Surviving Mrs. Adams are a son, Marlin Duane, 10, and a daughter, Linda Jean, 8; her mother, Mrs. Zoe Lynch of Vale; a brother, Edwin James Lynch of Twin Falls; sister, Nona Fay Barnes of Vale; an Uncle, Iver Dortis of Ontario; an aunt, Mrs. N.A. Hough of Kansas City,  Kansas.

Mrs. Adams was born March 20, 1931 and was graduated from Weiser High School in 1949. She was a member of the Assembly God Church in Medford.

From The Idaho Statesman – Fri, Aug 5, 1960 – Page 15