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<p><em>Michael Weir “Mike” Adamson</em> was born in Englewood, NJ. He was the son of Dorothy (Hinson) Adamson from Alabama and William Weir Adamson from the UK. An interesting side note is that Mike’s father never went by the first name he was born with because he considered it to be too close to the German Kiser Wilhelm II during World War I. So, Mike always told his children that their grandfather lied and even went so far as to refurbish his birth certificate to state his name was Weir Adamson, born in Mount Vernon VA. </p>
<p>Mike was raised in Oradell, NJ, where his desire to become a West Point cadet took root. After Mike’s grade school years, he embarked on a somewhat ironic military school journey. He humorously boasted of a unique achievement: attending three military schools, each of which closed down after his first year there. Reflecting on this unconventional record, he quipped, “I seem to have a knack for unintentionally shutting down military schools just by attending them.”</p>
<p>His journey through military education began at the Manlius School for his freshman year, followed by the Bordentown Military Institute for his sophomore year. Finally, he completed his junior and senior years at the Bordentown/Lenox School, where he ascended through the ROTC ranks to ultimately serve as the battalion commander.</p>
<p>This humorous anecdote from Mike’s early educational years not only showcases his wit but also highlights his enduring dedication to a military path, which eventually led him to achieve his dream of attending West Point and embarking on a distinguished military career. While waiting for his Academy appointment, he was also accepted to the Virginia Military Institute and The Citadel.</p>
<p>His wish came true on July 2, 1973 when he joined the Class of 1977. Mike was a member of Company D-3 for his first three years and was the D-4 company commander during his firstie year. Classmates described him as “good humored and hard working.” He was a fencer his plebe year, and he was also an original member of the Pipe and Drum Corps, starting his plebe year and serving as the cadet in charge his firstie year. There were many nights when his companymates were privileged to hear Mike playing his bagpipe practice chanter at the end of the hallways while taking a break from his studies. Additionally, during his free time, Mike built models of airplanes, armored vehicles and tanks.</p>
<p>The dreams that he had while building model tanks came into fruition, because, upon graduation, Mike was commissioned as an Armor officer and was assigned to Fort Knox, KY for his Armor Officer Basic Course. He successfully commanded the Headquarters and Headquarters Troop of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Squadron, 8th Infantry Division in Manheim, Germany. After graduating from the Armor Officer Advanced Course, he stayed at Fort Knox as a member of the Amor School’s staff and faculty. Mike also served with the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, CO and at the Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, VA. Upon retirement from the Army, Mike and family returned to Colorado, where he worked at Peterson AFB as a defense contractor and Department of Defense civilian with the Army Space and Missile Defense Command.</p>
<p>Mike married his wife, Josanna, on December 20, 1980 and had two children: Jenn and Chris. Jenn remembers her dad as a gentle giant with a solid sense of core family values that he carried forth throughout his life, of which he passed onto Jenn and Chris. Unfortunately, Mike and Josanna parted ways, but they remained as friends all of the way until his passing. Jenn and Chris’ fondest memories are those of the hours spent with their dad learning to swim at their Virginia Beach apartment pool. Jenn describes her dad as an excellent public speaker and devoting hours of his time to help her prepare for her big presentations and speeches when she was starting out her career. She is now a very successful high-level coach for executives and entrepreneurs and an international best-selling author.</p>
<p>After Mike completely retired on his comfortable acre in Larkspur, CO, he enjoyed waking up early in the morning with a cup of coffee to contemplate the day’s activities. On good weather mornings he would light up his Mexican chiminea and enjoy that cup of coffee well before dawn’s first light. Some of his daily activities included bagpiping, woodworking, home projects and volunteering. He very much enjoyed serving his community, along with Chris, by using their chainsaws to cut trees and scrub oak on neighboring properties for fire mitigation. Additionally, he taught Chris to play bagpipes, and both performed at many community events. Most significant was when he bagpiped during a military ceremony for the 3rd Space Battalion. Like his companymates at West Point, his Larkspur neighbors would also enjoy hearing Mike playing his bagpipes right there on his beloved little acre.</p>
<p>Mike was always very well respected and held in the highest esteem by classmates, colleagues, peers, and neighbors. He was a man who never compromised his character and integrity, a trait he gained during his time at West Point. He embodied the verse in the Cadet Prayer about choosing “the harder right instead of the easier wrong.” He was loved and is missed by many! I bet if we listen closely, we can hear Mike playing his bagpipes from the heavens.</p>
<p><em>— Victor Tise</em></p>
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