James Adams

James K. "Nick" Adams, age 75, of Harrogate, Tennessee, passed away on October 3, 2026.

Known to those who loved him simply as "Nick," he was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who spent more than 50 years doing what he knew best - driving an 18-wheeler over the road. During his long career as a truck driver, Nick traveled throughout the United States, seeing places and experiencing things that most people only hear about.

And Nick loved to tell you about them.

He was a storyteller through and through. He loved talking about the places he had traveled, the roads he had driven, the people he had met, and the things he had seen along the way. After more than five decades on the road, Nick had plenty of stories to tell, and his family and friends will forever remember listening to him share them.

When he wasn't behind the wheel, Nick enjoyed fishing and working with his hands. He especially loved restoring old Ford and Chevy trucks. He took great pride in taking something old and bringing it back to life, and he believed in doing things the right way.

Anyone who ever worked alongside Nick probably heard one of his favorite reminders: "When you get out a tool, you should always put it back." It was a simple saying, but it was pure Nick. His family will undoubtedly think of him whenever they reach for a tool - and especially if they forget to put it back.

Nick also had the little things that made him unmistakably Nick. He enjoyed finding feathers and putting them in his hat, a simple tradition that became part of how people remember him.

He also had a very special four-legged companion, his beloved German Schnauzer, Fritz III. Fritz held a special place in Nick's heart and was much more than a pet - he was Nick's faithful friend and companion.

Above all, Nick loved his family. He is survived by his loving wife, Dorothy S. Adams; his children, James Casey Adams, Jerrilynn Nacole Middleton, and Leonard Charles Smith; his granddaughter, Kirsten Danielle Middleton; and his beloved companion, Fritz III.

For more than 50 years, Nick traveled countless miles and roads across this country. His family will carry his stories with them - the places he traveled, the trucks he drove and restored, the days spent fishing, the lessons he taught, the feathers in his hat, his love for Fritz, and a lifetime of memories made along the way.

Nick may have taken his final journey, but his stories will continue to be told, his lessons will continue to be remembered, and his memory will travel with those who loved him for generations to come.

He will be deeply missed, forever loved, and never forgotten.

Funeral services will be at 6:00 PM on Friday, October 9, 2026, at Arnett & Steele Funeral Home.

The family will receive friends on Friday from 4:00 PM until the funeral hour at Arnett & Steele Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Pineville, which is honored to serve the Adams Family.