Adam William Falls

Adam William Falls was born June 9, 1976 to Benjamin and Linda Falls in Johnson City, New York. He was the youngest sibling to brother Scott and sister Ashlee. The family would soon move to Texas and then to Casa Grande, AZ when Adam was 11. Adam's talents have always been broad. He attended Casa Grande Union High School where he competed on the swim and dive teams, and at age 15 he bowled a perfect 300 and was featured in the local newspaper. He loved to skateboard and often shared skateboarding stories from his childhood and his time in Japan.

After graduating from high school in 1994, Adam immediately joined the United States Marine Corps and attended boot camp at Marine Corps Recruiting Station San Diego. He was stationed in Okinawa, Japan three times. Over the course of his career he served as a Drill Instructor, a Marine Corps Instructor of Water Survival, and a Marine Corps Officer Instructor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. He also served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Adam retired from the Marine Corps in 2014 with the rank of Master Sergeant after 20 years of honorable service.

In 2006 Adam married his wife, Erika, and on January 10, 2008 they welcomed their first baby girl, Dana Christine, in Pittsburgh, PA. After the family moved to Okinawa in 2009, they welcomed their second daughter, Autumn Alma Jean, on September 17, 2010. Amidst all of this bliss, the family moved from Okinawa to Oceanside, CA in late 2011 to begin what would become a long and brave fight against cancer.

Adam's girls were his greatest joy. He loved every moment he had with them, including walking them to school; coaching their soccer teams; taking them to church, the movies, and bowling; and watching space and nature documentaries with them. He never missed an opportunity to join them at school by volunteering for art, science, and Veteran's Day events.

Among Adam's many accomplishments are the two full marathons he completed, including the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC, and the Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration he earned from the University of Maryland in 2015, which he pursued even during his military career and his battle with cancer.

Adam's kindness and patience made him a natural father, husband, son, brother, and friend. His sense of humor and love of family really shone through at all of the BBQ and swim parties he hosted. If there was a baby around, Adam could hold them for hours. He loved his regular summer visits from his nephew, Colton (born in 2000), including their trip to San Francisco for a tour of Alcatraz in 2015.

Adam enjoyed all sports. He was an impressive golfer, swimmer, runner, and bowler. He was an avid baseball fan and also enjoyed watching football and, most recently, soccer in his chair with his cat Callisto. Adam had a great love for alternative music. He loved the meaning of lyrics and sharing those with his closest friends and family. He loved listening to live music and going to concerts.

Words cannot describe how much Adam meant to his friends, and especially his family. Adam's love, faith, and selfless friendship were unparalleled. He will be dearly missed and always remembered by those who knew him well.