Dr. Richard R. Adicks Jr. died Aug. 15, 2015 at Florida Presbyterian Homes in Lakeland.
A sixth-generation Floridian, Adicks was born in Lake City, Florida Aug. 19, 1932 to parents Inez Duncan Adicks and Richard R. Adicks Sr. He attended Lake City Schools and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He was awarded a bachelor’s in education and a master’s in English from the University of Florida.
He served two years in the United States Army, including a year in Germany.
He taught English and United States history in high schools in Plant City and St. Petersburg and was an instructor of English at Rollins College.
His graduate studies took him to University of North Carolina and University of Virginia before he completed his Ph.D. at Tulane University.
After teaching three years in the English department at Georgia Tech, he joined the charter faculty of University of Central Florida in 1968. At UCF, he taught more than 30 courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels from Victorian Literature to the Homeric epics and the Bible as literature.
He taught in the FSU Study Center in Florence, Italy and was a Fulbright lecturer in 1997-98 at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe.
In 1992, he was presented with the UCF Excellence in Teaching Award and was honored as the 2006 Distinguished Colleague by the Florida College English Association for his significant and sustained contributions to teaching, scholarship and service. He retired from UCF in 1999 as Professor Emeritus.
In addition to articles on literature, Mr. Adicks is the author of “A Court for Owls,” a novel about Lewis (Paine) Powell’s role in the Lincoln assassination. He co-authored “Oviedo: Biography of a Town” and was one of 10 co-authors of “The Book Lover’s Guide to Florida.”
Through his diligent and tireless genealogical research, he was awarded the certificate as a Florida Pioneer Descendant by the Florida State Genealogical Society.
During his 43 year in Oviedo, he held many offices at the First United Methodist Church of Oviedo, served as a troop committee member for Boy Scout Troop 608, served as a member of the Seminole County Historical Society Commission and as president of Florida College English Association. He was one of the original organizers of the Oviedo Historical Society and served as its president. He was active in the American Legion Post 243 in Oviedo.
Recently at Florida Presbyterian Homes, he served as president of the residents association.
He had a deep appreciation for the performing arts, and enjoyed travel and exploring nature. He was passionate in mentoring his students and grandchildren as well as nieces and nephews. He will be missed by the many he has influenced across the world.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mildred Carlton Adicks; daughter Jennifer Harnage (Terry); grandchildren Melissa and David Harnage; and sister Joanna Adicks Wallace.
Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, at First United Methodist Church of Oviedo, 263 King Street, Oviedo, with memorial service to follow at 2 p.m. A memorial service will also be held at Florida Presbyterian Homes Chapel in Lakeland Saturday, Aug. 29, at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donation to Bread for the World, United Methodist Committee on Relief, United Methodist Children’s Home or your favorite charity.
