Longtime Wiregrass newspaper editor dies

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DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN) — Joseph Holman Adams, Sr., longtime newspaper editor, publisher, and “master storyteller,” died last week. He was 91.

Adams Sr., nicknamed “newspaper Joe,” served as the editor of the Southern Star newspaper in Ozark for 67 years.

Adams Sr. graduated from Dale County High School and began attending the University of Alabama for a bachelor’s degree in journalism, where he served as the Sports Editor of the Crimson White, the University newspaper.

Following his graduation, Adams Sr. was a Second Lieutenant through the Reserve Officer Training Corp. and stationed across the United States at Ft. Bliss, Ft. Bragg, and Ft. Campbell. While at Ft. Campbell, Adams was an Assistant Division Public Information Officer with the 101st Airborne Division.

Adams Sr. returned to Ozark in 1957 and became the editor of the Southern Star, a position he held until the paper sold in 2021. In 1969, Adams was named publisher of the Southern Star after taking over from his father.

According to his obituary, Adams Sr. was the longest-sitting newspaper editor in Alabama.

The Southern Star had been in the Adams family for 154 years. Adams’ great-grandfather started the paper in 1867, two years after the Civil War ended.

“Joe will always be remembered as a master storyteller. Joe has a remarkable memory for stories about the colorful characters of Ozark. One of his true loves was to be able to regale an audience with these stories. The size of the audience did not matter to Joe, it could be several hundred to just two or three people, he did not care,”

In 2000, Adams Sr. served as the president of the Alabama Press Association.

A funeral service for Adams Sr. will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 8, at the First United Methodist Church of Ozark.

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