Adam Singleton

With a smile that could light up a room, Adam Singleton won the hearts of his family from the moment they held him in their arms. Although he was on the quiet side, he appreciated solitude, yet getting together with friends and spending time with family brought him the greatest joy. In his all too brief life journey, Adam enlightened many with his sense of humor, sparkling eyes, and endless smile. Although he will indeed be deeply missed, Adam leaves behind much to be remembered in the days ahead.

Just as the Spice Girls were hitting the music charts, the Macarena had everyone hitting the dance floors. The year 1996 is also fondly remembered as the year of the O.J. Simpson trial while EBay made its debut on the world wide web. For gamers, the launch of the Nintendo64 and Pokemon Gameboy was all the rage. However, in Orange, California, nothing compared to the joy and excitement John and Sheila (Woodmansee) Singleton experienced when they welcomed the birth of their son, Adam John into their hearts on March 12 of that year.

Young Adam joined his older sisters, Bridget and Elizabeth who mothered and sometimes even smothered him with love from the beginning. They were helpful in every way when it came to Adam, and always looked out for him. Bridget affectionately called him, "LB", short for little brother, and Liz dubbed him "Nano" because of the cute way he used to say his name as a child. Adam was a good baby, and during his younger years he enjoyed playing with Legos and trucks. All boy, he brought his family much happiness.

When Adam was around six months old, his family traveled across the country and eventually settled in Marne, Michigan which became Adam's forever home. They liked the small town atmosphere in the close knit community yet the city and local beaches were close enough to fill all their needs. During his youth, Adam's all-time favorite meal consisted of macaroni and cheese along with chicken nuggets. He was also fond of orange chicken and rice, but he absolutely loved his mother's spaghetti and meatballs. Taco Bell ranked high on his list, too.

Adam attended Coopersville Elementary School. He was a good student, and without ever having to try very hard, he excelled in his studies. He tried sports such as t-ball and baseball, and for a time went out for track. He didn't care much for track, but was good at it just the same. The one sport Adam truly came to enjoy was football. From Rocket football to playing on his high school team as a tailback or linebacker, he really got into the game. Adam was a likable guy and liked getting together with friends to share adventures, play sports, and to work out. Even though he didn't play football last school year, he had several good friends from the team.

Along with his family, Adam enjoyed memorable times camping at Tahquamenon Falls in the Upper Peninsula as well as a great trip to Hawaii with his parents. Since he was a young boy and into his teens, Adam spent a lot of time with his dad and lent a helping hand where he could. Whether it was shingling a roof or helping on other projects, he was genuinely interested in learning the task at hand alongside his father. Adam loved going deer hunting with his dad and it became an annual tradition each deer hunting season. He did very well for himself during some of his junior hunts. They also did some fishing together over the years. Some of their favorite spots included inland lakes and also venturing out onto Lake Michigan.

In 2008, Adam had an accident that left him in a medically induced coma. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and while in the hospital, he surprised the doctors by waking up much sooner than expected. Quite remarkable, he ended up being discharged from the hospital after days rather than the many months they had expected. In fact, he concluded his therapy from Mary Free Bed Hospital in weeks and not the months they anticipated it would take for him to regain his strength. Adam went on to therapy on an outpatient basis which allowed him to rejoin his class at school that fall.

A large part of Adam's therapy included using video games which opened a whole new world for Adam. He loved his video games, which evolved since 2008. As the games became more complex, Adam was even able to play with friends from their homes. This last year, Adam took another new step when he was able to gain employment working at the Bistro Bella Vita restaurant. He enjoyed working there and even though he loved his video games, he was always frugal with his earnings. Forever thrifty, he never wanted to part with his money. Even when he was given money from his parents for an errand and allowed to keep the change, he wouldn't spend a dime.

Around three years ago, Adam received his best Christmas gift ever in the form of a German shepherd. Ginger was his constant companion, yet she became a great family dog who loved everyone. Nearly inseparable, Adam so enjoyed taking Ginger for walks and spending time with her.

After Adam's accident, school became more challenging. What came so easy and simple before was now very frustrating for him. He did learn to drive and really liked being able to drive to school. He often met up with friends to work out at the gym after school most days and everyone enjoyed his unequivocal dry sense of humor. Others were naturally drawn to Adam, and although he had a great time surrounded by friends, he was pretty independent and on the quiet side. Laid back, he enjoyed the quiet and peaceful serenity of home, just like his parents. After graduating this coming year, Adam's plan was to attend Grand Rapids Community College and then decide what to do from there.

Sadly, Adam Singleton, at the age of 17, passed away on Saturday, November 9, 2013. With so much left to do; plans to make and people to love, Adam leaves a deep hole in the hearts of those who knew and loved him. He touched others with ways all his own, and had a smile that could brighten the days of anyone within his reach. Gone too soon, Adam will be deeply missed and remembered for all that he was and more.

Adam was preceded in death by his grandpa, Leo Singleton; his grandpa Richard Woodmansee; aunt Linda and Uncle Jim. Adam is survived by his parents, John and Sheila Singleton; his sisters, Bridget and Elizabeth Singleton; nephew and niece, Joshua and Ava Singleton; grandparents, Nancy Singleton, Jerry and Shirley Shipley; his beloved dog, Ginger; many aunts, uncles and cousins. Adam's Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, November 16, 2013, 11:00 AM at St. Mary's Church - Marne, 15164 Juniper Drive. Friends are invited to visit with his family on Friday from 2-4 and 6-8 PM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - 2120 Lake Michigan Drive NW and on Saturday at the church from 10 AM until the service. For those who wish, memorial contributions to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital are appreciated. To read more about Adam's life, to share a memory, photo and to sign his online guest book, please visit www.lifestorynet.com.