Helen Adams

Pastor Helen Adams, 87, quietly transitioned into her eternal rest with the Lord on December 19, 2025.

She grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of Southwest Virginia, an ordained minister of the Apostolic Pentecostal faith. She was unwavering in her desire to work for the Lord, and she lived her life to be a light to others. Helen met everyone she came across with love, compassion, and if needed, a firm voice for the truth of God’s word. Her one most desire was to see others come to know Jesus Christ. With this desire, she shared the gospel as a missionary alongside her husband in Mexico and on the island of Haiti. She served as Pastor of Jesus Way Ministries in Spindale, North Carolina for 23 years following the death of her husband, the founding pastor. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. Helen found such joy in travel and always treasured annual trips to the mountains with her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter “Jay” Crouse and Beatrice Childress Crouse; her husband, Pastor Paul Adams; a son, Gary Dye and her longtime friend, Delores “Dodie” Bowen.

Left to cherish her memory are her five daughters, Cathy Gehringer of Bostic, Kim Lowery (Wayne) of Bostic, Becky Walls (Scott) of Forest City, Debbey Blythe (Chuck) of Hawthorne, Florida and Paula Adams of Hawthorne, Florida. Also, “adopted,” children Jean Fisher of Maryland and Anthony Bowie of Forest City. She was a doting grandmother to 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Pastor Adams also leaves behind her church family that she loved greatly.

The funeral service will be conducted at 1:00 pm on Saturday, December 27th at Jesus Way Ministries with Reverend Kenneth Eller officiating. Interment will follow at Rutherford County Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 11:00 am until 12:45 pm in the church fellowship hall prior to service time.

In addition to flowers, memorial donations are requested to Jesus Way Ministries Haiti Missions fund, P.O. Box 495, Spindale NC 28160 or Out of the Ashes faith-based recovery ministry, P.O. Box 335 Bostic, NC 28018.