Beth Adamson

Beth Ann Adamson passed away on Tuesday February 8, 2022 at Avera Sister James Care Center in Yankton, South Dakota, at the age of 72. Per her request, there will not be a formal funeral service. There will be a family gathering memorial celebration to be held at a later date.  Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Yankton. Beth was born December 27, 1949 to Darold and Lou (Harmon) Adamson.  She grew up in Centerville and Parker, SD. She enjoyed 4H as a youngster and loved animals and horses.  The family moved to Yankton in 1968.  Beth worked at the Cinderella Shoppe and Fantles before taking the job at Devils Nest Resort sales office, which got her interested in Real Estate.  She and friend moved to Phoenix, AZ where she worked in the Mortgage Department at a Savings & Loan.  After many years there, she went a total new direction and began working for the Maricopa County Arizona State Prison in Florence, AZ as a guard and moved into the Drug Dog Unit, having her own dog, Sheera, doing searches at the prison.  She was also on the tracking “Search Troupe” on horseback with hounds.  Beth was on the Danny Horning manhunt in the desert, who was a dangerous escapee, it was covered by the National News.  She was significant in his capture and arrest and was presented the highly deserved “Award of Valor”, as the plaque read, from the Department of Corrections and Border Patrol. However, she missed her family and relatives so after 20 years in Arizona, she moved back to Yankton. (She was famous for sending noisy Christmas gifts with sirens, drums, bull horns anything loud to all the nieces and nephews, not just once, but each year!) Beth was employed with SD Corrections in Sioux Falls, Springfield, and Yankton and ended with 15 years at Alumax (Hydro) retiring in 2016.  She loved all the family gatherings and BBQ’s and was glad to be back to attend nieces and nephews sports events and activities.  She adored little kids, had a great laugh and sense of humor. A 10 year survivor of cancer, she had a stroke in July 2019 with complications and began living at Avera Sister James. Beth is survived by four brothers and their wives: Steve and Jen of Yankton, Greg and Jane of Yankton, Tim and Terry of Phoenix, and Brad and Kim of Sioux Falls; nieces and nephews in Yankton are Jason Adamson, Brooke Hirschfeld (Brandon Bruder), Jared (Amanda) Adamson. Along with Andra (Brock) Foster of Jackson Hole, WY, Matt (Stacy) Adamson of Sioux Falls, Malorie Adamson of Sioux Falls, Cole (Caroline) Adamson,  Heather Adamson, Austin (Cameron) Adamson all of Phoenix  AZ.  Other relatives in Yankton are Bill and Jane Bobzin and Mary Valentine; along with aunts, uncles, and double cousins in the Centerville area. Beth was preceded in death by her parents in 2012 and 2021.