William Harrison Adams

in 2009 for his dedication to Cal Golf. In 1979, Cal dropped golf as an NCAA sport. Together with Head Coach Steve Desimone, Frank has spent 40 years advocating for reinstatement (accomplished, 1982), fundraising over $30 million for operating funds, and establishing an endowment. They brought the program from NCAA extinction to the pinnacle of college golf, winning the 2004 NCAA championship. Today, the Cal Men’s Golf program stands nearly fully endowed at just over $16 million.

Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle, and friend to many was the greatest example of integrity, generosity, humility, kindness, and love. Frank was predeceased by his father, Benjamin Franklin Brunk Sr, mother, Esther Norton Brunk, and brother, James Donald Brunk.

Those family members who dearly loved him and will miss him the most are his wife of 62 years, Jenifer Runte Brunk, daughter, Jamie Brunk Buffington (John), son, Steven Campbell Brunk (Rebecca), and daughter, Jody Brunk Knowlton (Paul), grandchildren, Tinsley, Spencer, Miles, Jewelz, Landon, Sarah, Olivia, and greatgrandchildren Della and Bowie.

A celebration of Frank’s life will take place at a time in the very near future when we can gather to share stories and hugs. Donations may be made to the Frank Brunk Golf Scholarship.

Make checks payable to: UC Berkeley Foundation - memo note: Frank Brunk Golf Scholarship

Mail checks to: Donor & Gift Services, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 University Ave, Suite 400, Berkeley, CA 94704-1070

William H. (Bill) Adams was born to Egbert and Elizabeth Adams in Oakland, California on February 27, 1928. He grew up in Oakland and Piedmont and two years after his birth became the older brother of Tommy Adams. The two would remain the closest of friends until Tommy’s death in 2005.

Bill attended Crocker Highlands grammar school and then Piedmont Middle School and graduated from Piedmont High in 1946.

He went to the University of California at Berkeley and was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Until his last days Bill was adamant that people call it California or Cal, never Berkeley. There, as at Piedmont High, he developed friendships that would last a lifetime.

He also met the love of his life, Joan Louise Griffith on a blind date. They were married in September of 1950, prior to Bill being drafted into the Army.

After basic training at Fort Ord in Monterey, CA, Bill and Joan moved to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas where he was stationed for the rest of his tenure. In October of 1951 their son, Griffith H. Adams was born. Upon his discharge

Bill and Joan returned to California where they found their first “home” in Parkmerced, near SF State College. In 1954 their daughter Jennifer was born in San Francisco.

There Bill began a lifelong insurance career, mostly with Marsh McLennan where he handled the San Francisco Giants account and then a partnership with John Craig and the J. Ray McKinney Company. In 1966 he and Joan moved back to Bill’s hometown of Piedmont where they resided for the last 50+ years of his life.

Bill was a lifelong lover of Big Band music, baseball, dogs and family. As a young boy he closely followed the Oaks and Seals until the Giants moved to town. He knew which sidemen were on most recordings of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw and his other favorite bands.

As a young father he taught Griff baseball playing strikeouts in the Parkmerced carports. And he arose at 6 am on many Saturdays to take Jennifer to her horseback riding lessons and she and her dad rarely missed the Dog Show at the Cow Palace so they could “pet the doggies.” Trips to the zoo, Candlestick Park and Memorial Stadium in Berkeley were regular outings as was the annual summer trip to Tahoe, Newport Beach or Aptos Beach. Bill was never judgmental about his kids’ choices, helping them to become as independent as he was. He and Joan were Anglophiles, going to London every summer for almost thirty years. Flower shows, antique shops, museums and pubs were the main attractions. He had a terrific sense of humor and dozens of friends that he saw regularly, a list headed by his kid brother Tommy. He was an Old Guard (forty year) member of the Bohemian Club and with Tommy, a member of Meyerling Camp.

Bill was predeceased by his parents, brother Tommy and nephew Jim. He is survived by his wife Joan, son Griff (Jamie) Adams and daughter Jennifer (Joe) Kapp, his grandchildren Nicholau (Lydia) Adams, Elizabeth (Farquhar) Forbes, Emi (Deviyon) Carter, Will (Gina) Kapp and Gaby Kapp and her fiancée Kiko Alonso as well as nine great grandchildren.

A family celebration of life will occur in the new year and any donations in his name should go to Wounded Warriors or Guide Dogs For The Blind.