Bruce Adams, 78, of Hemet, died of a stroke at 1 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, 2005 at home.

He was born Feb. 17, 1926 in Long Beach.

Mr. Adams moved to Idyllwild in 1955 but had started coming to Camp Tahquitz with a Long Beach Boy Scout troop in 1938. He built his first cabin here in 1948.

When he first came to Idyllwild, he helped rebuild the Idyllwild Inn after it burned down in the 1940s.

He entered the real estate business with the late Jerry Johnson in 1958 and obtained his broker’s license five years later. He opened his own office next to the old Town Crier building in Fern Valley in 1964.

By 1966, Adams Realty had three branch offices in Idyllwild.

Mr. Adams also built more than 13 homes, mostly in the Pine Crest Avenue area.

He was a past president and honorary member of the Idyllwild Lions Club and a member of American Legion Post 800. He also had served on the Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and was a director on both the Idyllwild Board of Realtors and the Hemet-San Jacinto Board of Realtors.

Mr. Adams was a Hemet Unified School District trustee for more than 16 years who loved Hemet High School football. He also was a Little League coach and a “heck” of a tennis player.

Close friends included Sparky Allert, Bud Hunt and Mary Arnaiz, his first wife. He’ll be watching this year’s Super Bowl in the front row with his best friends.

Services will be private and his ashes will be scattered in Idyllwild.

He is survived by his wife and best friend of 32 years, Thelma Adams, with whom he had lots of fun; a son, R.B. Adams of Hemet; a daughter, Sandy Adams of Hemet; and three grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to the Hemet High School Scholarship Fund, 41701 Stetson Ave., Hemet, CA 92544.