With profound sadness and heavy hearts, we acknowledge the loss of our dear friend and colleague, Donald L. Adams II, AIA, who died Monday, May 1.
After graduating from the University of Kentucky School of Architecture in 1993, Don held positions at firms in Nashville and Louisville, but it was at Omni Architects that he found his professional home. Here, he quickly grew into the roles of Project Architect and then Project Manager, with his loyalty and accomplishments recognized through a series of promotions, culminating in his role as a Senior Associate and a highly regarded member of Omni’s leadership team. In this capacity, he was instrumental in mentoring Omni’s younger designers and helping establish office policies and procedures. Don was a vital member of the Omni Architects team from 1996 until March 2022, when he felt called to find new challenges. We wished him great success as he started a new adventure with SCB Architects after 25 years at Omni.
Don managed many significant projects throughout his career with us, including the Northside Branch of the Lexington Public Library, the University Health Service Building at UK, the UofL Student Recreation Center - all of which received awards for design excellence from AIA Kentucky - the MCTC Postsecondary Center of Excellence in Morehead, KY, the NKU Campus Recreation Center, St. Albert the Great Catholic Church, and multiple projects for Mountain Comprehensive Health Care, to name a few.
Those who met Don often felt like they’d met an old friend. His clients greatly appreciated his experience and demeanor and confidently entrusted their projects to his knowledge and judgment. But those of us who worked closely with Don were privileged to witness so much more: his infinite capacity to care for others; his earnest commitment to taking care of his clients; his attention to the details; his passion for all things stereophonic and automotive; his love for his family; his fondness for coconut cream pie; his fear of thunderstorms and drive-through banking; and his fantastic sense of humor. Don was perhaps best loved for his ability to make us laugh. His humor was often riotous but never at the expense of others.
Like many who are reading this, we will forever recall the countless ways Don Adams made our lives better, richer. We will miss him beyond measure.
We extend our deepest sympathies to Don’s parents, Don Sr. and Jenny, and his sisters and their families.