Ways To Leave Your Mark

Questions and Answers

General & Professional Life

Q: What inspired Delbert Adair Jr. to write this book? A: The author was inspired by a line in the book “The One Minute Millionaire” by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen, which stated: “We firmly believe that all people have at least one good book in them to write.”

Q: What is the author’s educational background, and where did he spend his teaching career? A: He earned both his Bachelor’s degree (1983) and Master’s degree (1995) in Physical Education / Secondary Education from Arizona State University. He spent 39 years teaching physical education for Gilbert Public Schools—specifically at Pioneer Elementary, Gilbert Junior High, and Greenfield Junior High—before retiring and returning as a substitute teacher.

Q: What role did the author play in the military? A: He served four years in the Arizona Air National Guard (sworn in on March 13, 1983). He completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base and technical school at Keesler Air Force Base, serving as an Aerospace Warning and Control Operator (specialty code 276) and on the Disaster Preparedness team for the 107th Tactical Control Squadron.

⚾ Sports & Physical Well-being

Q: What were some of the author’s major accomplishments in high school and college baseball? A:

• High School: Playing for East Phoenix High School under Coach Tom Preston, he hit his first home run on May 3, 1974. In his senior year, he won the team MVP, won the League “B” Championship, and finished with a .400 batting average, earning honorable mention all-state honors.
• College: He played on a scholarship at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, where he hit his sole college home run on April 24, 1976, against Dixie College—a memory made extra special because his father was in the stands to watch it.

Q: When did the author get into running, and what major milestone did he achieve? A: He didn’t become hooked on running until his 20s. While coaching cross-country at Gilbert Junior High (1998–2017), he deepened his involvement and completed his first full marathon on January 15, 2006, at the Rock-n-Roll Marathon in Phoenix, Arizona.

🌲 Family History & The Pinetop Legacy

Q: Who were the early ancestors that settled in Northern Arizona, and how did “Fool Hollow” get its name? A: The author’s third great-grandparents, William Lewis Penrod and Polly Ann Young, were called to help colonize Northern Arizona, leaving Wallsburg, Utah, in October 1878. Another relative, Thomas Jefferson Adair, moved to the Show Low area in 1885 to farm. Locals joked that “only a fool would try to farm the place,” which birthed the name Fool Hollow (now Fool Hollow Lake).

Q: What three specific goals did the author set to honor his great-grandparents, John Washington Adair and Cynthia Jane Penrod? A:

1. Erect a beautiful stone monument at the Pinetop Cemetery to replace unreadable or missing headstones for 17 family members.
2. Write and publish a comprehensive family history book (“The John Washington Adair Family, Descendants included through 1998”).
3. Own property in Pinetop, Arizona.

Q: Where can future generations find copies of the author’s published family history book? A: The book is preserved in two primary archives:

1. The Salt Lake City Family History Center (Call number 929.273 ad11aj / Microfilm 1425189 Item 9).
2. Arizona State University’s Hayden Library in the High-Density Storage, Arizona Collections (Call Number CS71.A182 A33x 1999).

Cabin, Estate Planning, and Family History

Q: What is the story behind the Adair Springs Cabin in Pinetop, Arizona?

A: Owning property in Pinetop was a lifelong dream because the author’s dad’s family is originally from there. The cabin was built in 1972 by Stewart and Genevieve Elson and purchased by the author and his wife in May 2007. It is named “Adair Springs Cabin” in honor of the ancestors who founded the town of Adair (where Fool Hollow Lake is now) and later settled in Pinetop and Lakeside. The 672-square-foot, two-bedroom cabin serves as a second home, a vacation rental, and a family legacy.

Q: Why does the author emphasize having a will and a living trust?

A: The author and his wife, Teresa, set up a will and a living trust through Phelps LeClair, PLC in Mesa, Arizona, to ensure their children inherit the cabin. The author stresses that while estate planning can be uncomfortable to discuss, it provides immense peace of mind and leaves affairs in order, making it much easier for the next generation to sort through everything.

Q: Who was Dallas Tyler Adair Jr. and how is he remembered?

A: Dallas Tyler Adair Jr. was the author’s second cousin who served as a Corporal in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Tragically, he was killed in action in the Dinh Tuong Province on August 26, 1968. He is honored on the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial and has a page dedicated to him on the Wall of Faces website.

Q: What is the significance of the plaque at the Pinetop-Lakeside Public Library?

A: The plaque was placed on the outside wall near the entrance of the library to honor the author’s grandparents, Leslie Ronald Adair and Mildred Lilly.

🎖️ The Legacy of Deputy Ronald Edward Adair

Q: Who was Deputy Ronald Edward Adair, and why was his recognition delayed?

A: Ronald “Ronnie” Edward Adair was a Deputy for the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office who passed away on May 22, 1970, from a subarachnoid hemorrhage after hitting his head on his car roof while pursuing a suspect across railroad tracks. His name was initially missing from the official memorials because the Sheriff’s Office records were tragically lost in a flood.

Q: How and when was Deputy Ronnie Adair finally honored?

A: Thanks to the massive efforts of the author’s brother, Dan, Ronnie was officially recognized decades later. He was honored on May 2, 2016, at the 43rd annual Police Officers Memorial Service in Phoenix, and his name was added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., on May 28, 2016.

Q: What was Ronnie Adair’s talent outside of law enforcement?

A: Ronnie was a talented singer and guitar player. He recorded an album titled “Remember Ronnie Adair.” His standout hit was the song “Queen of Hearts,” written by his sister Ina which topped the local charts on Kriz and Krux radio in Phoenix.

❤️ Family Achievements, Centenarians, and Giving Back

Q: What challenges did the author’s brother, Darrell, face, and how did it impact the author?

A: Darrell worked for Honeywell Inc. for over 35 years as a Final Quality Assurance Inspector. He passed away on September 3, 2023, after undergoing two incredibly difficult liver transplants. During a grueling 14-hour surgery, Darrell required 204 units of blood. Because anonymous blood donors saved his brother’s life during that time, the author became deeply committed to regularly donating blood to “pay it forward.”

Q: What did the author learn from volunteering at Feed My Starving Children?

A: The author volunteered with his daughter, Morgan, at the Mesa/Tempe location. Their group of 43 people packed over 11,000 meals in a single session—enough to feed 30 children one meal a day for an entire year. It taught him that anyone can make a tangible difference in the community without needing to be famous.

Q: Who are some of the long-lived ancestors mentioned in the Adair family tree?

A: The author proudly notes that several family members have been centenarians, living to be 100 years or older. Examples include:

• William Thomas Coon (1823–1923) – First cousin, 4x removed.
• Amanda Catherine Crum Angle (1866–1971) – Second great-grandaunt.
• Lula Florence Angle Lunsford Carter (1902–2007) – First cousin, 3x removed.
• Mary Margaret Lee Niblett (1916–2021) – Second cousin, 2x removed.

🏫 Career, Mentors, and the Library Tour

Q: Who was Nonda Chomokos, and what impact did he have on the author?

A: Nonda Chomokos was the Elementary Physical Education Coordinator who interviewed and recommended the author for his very first teaching job at Pioneer Elementary in 1984. As a mentor, Nonda’s excellent teaching style and belief in the author left a permanent mark on his entire 28-year teaching career.

Q: Where can people find physical copies of the book Ways To Leave Your Mark?

A: The author has personally donated copies of his book to numerous high schools, colleges, and public libraries across Arizona, Utah, and Texas, including:

• Gilbert Classical Academy Cybrary (where the author taught for 28 years when it was Gilbert Junior High, and currently is Gilbert Classical Academy.
• Hayden Library at Arizona State University (4th Floor Stacks).
• Pinetop-Lakeside Public Library (Arizona Book Collection).
• JBSA Lackland Library in San Antonio, Texas.
• Public libraries in Winslow, Show Low, Glendale, Tempe, Scottsdale, and Globe.