Armand Alphonse Adam, 91, passed away Sunday, February 12, 2017, 11:55 pm, at Dickinson Healthcare System in Iron Mountain, MI. Armand was born July 19, 1925 to Felix and Eva (St. Amand) Adam in Berlin, NH, the fourth of five siblings, Heloise, Yvette, Romeo, and Arthur, all preceding Armand in death.
Armand served his country faithfully in the Navy during World War II as a Shipfitter on LST 501, He was at Normandy, France for the D Day invasion on June 6, 1944. His ship was grounded at Omaha Beach when the tide went out at the height of the battle. From there, his ship sailed to the Mediterranean Sea where they participated in the invasion of Southern France on August 15, 1944, They then sailed back to the United States with a full passenger load of German POWs. After refitting, they headed South through the Panama Canal, crossed the Pacific Ocean to their destination at Okinawa, Japan, engaging in a series of battles from April 1, 1945 through June 22, 1945. He and his shipmates served with dignity and without reservation. He returned to France to visit Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery in Normandy in 2012 with his daughter Bev, son-in-law Butch, and special friend Helen Cote of Berlin.
After discharge from the Navy in 1946, Armand started a career as a welder, working at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for a time before being hired as a welder at Brown Company in his home town, where he worked until his retirement in 1987. In 1950, Armand met Gloria Burns at a dance, fell in love, and they were married on January 27, 1951. She preceded him in death in May, 1997. He was an avid golfer and enjoyed spending time with his family. In December, 2014, Armand moved to Norway MI to be near family and enjoy his great granddaughter.
Armand is survived by his daughters, Beverly (Butch) Gagnon of Norway, MI, and Joanne Adam of Flagler Beach, FL, his grandson, Jeffrey (Sarah) Gagnon and his great granddaughter, Claire of Norway MI, sisters-in-law Louise (Arthur) Adam and Louise (Richard) Faucher, and brother-in-law Phillip (Rita) Faucher and many loving nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held on Friday June 9, 2017 at 10 AM at the Bryant Funeral Home, 180 Hillside Ave., Berlin. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home Friday morning from 9 to 10 AM prior to the service. Interment with military honors will follow in Mt. Calvary Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org, or call 1-800-805-5856.