Joseph Brian Adamiak

Joseph (Joe) B. Adamiak, born on July 24, 1943 in Moundsville WV, passed away unexpectedly on February 27 in Odenton Maryland. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Helen Regiec Adamiak and John Joseph Adamiak and his younger brother, John (Marty) Adamiak. He is survived by his wife, Myong Cha Graham, Mother in law, Kyong Sun Yi, Daughters: Juanita Cheek (Douglas), JoAnn Adamiak Moore, Jeanie Garza (Ralph) and Tina Banfield (John), son Michael Graham (Katherine), his sister, Carol A. Yarnall (Oren Strom) and a very special nephew, Tom (Jung Suh). Joe had eight grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and three Great-Great grandchildren.

Joe was born and raised in Moundsville West Virginia and was graduated from Bishop Donahue High School, McMechen West Virginia. After a year of college he had a distinguished career in the United States Air Force, retiring as a Master Sergeant with 24 years of service and numerous awards. Joe was proficient in several languages, including Chinese, Korean and Spanish. The Air Force trained him to be a Chinese Linguist. He studied at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA three times to get proficient in Mandarin Chinese. He was then trained for his duties at Goodfellow AFB San Angelo TX prior to his first duty assignment in Pakistan. After other unit assignments he was reassigned several times as a surveillance and intelligence instructor at Goodfellow where he married and had three daughters. Besides living in San Angelo, Joe, his late wife, Mary Gutierrez Adamiak, and his daughters spent three years in Taiwan and a tour at Fort Ord, California. He served a remote tour in Korea and was then assigned to the National Security Agency, Fort Meade MD, where he retired in 1989.

While at Fort Meade, Joe met his wife, Myong Cha (Yun) and settled in Odenton. He mentored her two young children, Tina and Michael, and treated them as his own. For many years, Joe managed the family bar, the New Star Inn, in Odenton. He loved to play golf until his health declined. He was so proud of Myong Cha’s proficiency because she learned to play to be with him and became much more proficient than he. They had many good rounds of golf over the years, including playing in West Virginia with his sister and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the New Star Inn, 1680 Annapolis Rd, Odenton MD, 21113 on Sunday, April 13, from 3:00-6:00 PM. On Monday, April 14, 1045 AM, an interment service will be held at the Crownsville Veterans Cemetery, 1122 Sunrise Beach Road, Crownsville, MD 21113.