The family of John Richard Adams of Stillwater, an Oklahoma State University doctoral student in history who died in December, will be presented with a posthumous degree on his behalf during the commencement ceremonies on May 5 in Stillwater.

The Oklahoma State University A&M Board of Regents approved awarding Adams a posthumous Ph.D. in history following a recommendation by Dr. Marlene Strathe, interim OSU System CEO and President. 

The action now goes to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for consideration.

Adams had completed all the course work required for the degree and had devoted many months to preparing for his comprehensive examination and researching his dissertation topic when he died on Dec. 30 at the age of 82.

This request is supported by Dr. Elizabeth A. Williams, head of the Department of History, the Department of History faculty, and Dr. Peter M.A. Sherwood, dean of the OSU College of Arts and Sciences.

Adams, a child during the Great Depression and a veteran of World War II, owned a successful hardware business in Cushing for many years. In 1992, he enrolled at OSU, received his master’s degree in history in 1997, and was admitted to the Ph.D. program in 1998.  Between 2000 and 2003, Adams taught five sections of the U.S. History survey course. At the time of his death, he also was a part-time archival assistant in the Edmon Low Library Special Collections, where he cataloged the papers of Sen. Don Nickles.

Adams is survived by his wife, Claudean Reynolds Adams; his daughter Mary Clark, who works for the OSU library; a son, David Adams of Allen, Texas; and three grandchildren.