John Charles Adamo

John Charles Adamo, 84, a resident of Vacaville, passed away on December 23, 2019 at Vaca Valley Hospital in Vacaville after a long illness.

John was born on May 30, 1935, in Napa, California. He was the son of Albert and Julia (Panuzzi) Adamo. He was raised in Napa and attended St. John’s Catholic School and Napa High School, graduating with the Class of 1953. At Napa High, he lettered in football, basketball and baseball. He received a baseball scholarship to Santa Clara University, where he graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Philosophy.

John was married to his high school sweetheart Jean Desnoyer, in Napa on August 11, 1956. They made their home in Santa Clara for John’s last year of college, and their first child, Lynn Catherine, was born on May 28, 1957 in San Jose. In 1958 they returned to their hometown of Napa, and John, Jean and John’s sister Carol opened Adamo Music Center, which they ran successfully for 10 years. Their second child, Christopher John, was born in Napa in 1960.

After closing the music store, John pursued a second career in teaching. His first job was at St. Vincent High School in Petaluma, where he taught for two years. In 1971, he moved to St. Patrick High School in Vallejo, where he had a 20-year career. In those years, he taught English, Religion, Philosophy and Psychology. He was also the Director of Guidance, and Yearbook Advisor. He served as vice principal for a time.

He received a Masters degree in Psychology from Kensington University in 1993.

In 1981, John and Jean moved to Vacaville, where they embarked on an adventure growing jojoba. On their 5-acre parcel, they planted 3 acres of jojoba plants, with the desire to create a business selling jojoba oil and products containing jojoba. Through trials and tribulations of having an agricultural business, they succeeded in creating a mail-order business selling products that has kept them busy till this day.

John is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Frank Adamo.

John is survived by his wife of 63 years, Jean, his daughter Lynn Adamo and her husband Bob Faber of Bend, Oregon, son Chris Adamo and his wife Maureen Adamo of Medway, Massachusetts, grandsons Mark Adamo of Lebanon, New Hampshire, Peter Adamo of Medway, a twin sister Carol Adamo Johnson and her husband Delano Johnson of Napa, and nieces and nephews: Jolie Johnson Hutchens of North Liberty, Iowa, Hollie Johnson Schmidt of Napa, Greg Johnson of Napa, Len Adamo of Discovery Bay Calif., and Michael Adamo of Baldwin Park, Calif.

Funeral service will be held on January 23, 2020, 11:00 am at Tulocay Chapel, 411 Coombsville Rd, Napa. Reception immediately follows at Tulocay Reception Center, and interment at Tulocay Cemetery at 1:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations to EWTN in John’s name would be appreciated.
EWTN, Global Catholic Network, www.ewtn.com, 5817 Old Leeds Road, Irondale, AL 35210.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John Charles Adamo, please visit our floral store.