Roll Call Tribute

Gid B. Adkisson, III 

January 1, 1945 - July 27, 2024 

Gid B. Adkisson, III, passed away in Clovis, California on Saturday, July 27, 2024, following several years of declining health. He was a cherished husband, beloved father and treasured “Gaga”.

Gid was born on January 1, 1945, to Gid, Jr., and Marie Adkisson. He was the first baby born that year in Lubbock County. He was the oldest of 6 children and grew up on a cotton farm in Abernathy, Texas. He attended Abernathy schools and graduated in 1963.

Gid followed in his father’s footsteps and attended Texas A&M University. He was a part of the Cadet Corps and Aggie Band. He graduated in 1967 and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp. He attended Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia. As a 2nd Lt. he was stationed in Vietnam from August 1969 – August 1970. He was a very proud Marine.

After being discharged in 1972, Gid returned to California and started helping students at UC Davis and worked with a ministry called The Navigators. During this time, he met and fell in love with Vickie Romero and they were married on June 14, 1975.

Over the years, the family grew to four; they added a son, Jason in 1978 and adopted a daughter, Emily in 1986. Gid had many jobs throughout the years including painting contractor, paint sales, industrial/electrical salesman. He really enjoyed being a salesman.

Besides working, Gid had many hobbies. His love of airplanes came from his years of being on the cotton farm and watching the crop dusters fly over. He became #4 in the nation for aerobatic control line model airplanes. He would build finely detailed WWII model airplanes and at one point was working on his pilot’s license.

WWII history was also a passion of Gid’s. From reading about generals, to airplanes, to personal stories he enjoyed hearing, he loved it all. In 2013, after years of research and gathering stories, he published his book, Infantry Lieutenant, which was about his father’s time in WWII.

Gid was a man of God, a listener, honest, a man of integrity, a loyal friend, transparent, a thinker and quite funny. Through the years he became like a father to many men. He helped them to understand their value and worth to him and to God, despite their past mistakes. He started and led church sponsored men’s support groups.

He helped to develop the Fresno Superior Court Veteran Mentor program and became the Coordinator of the Mentors. At his retirement from this program, he was awarded for his outstanding service and dedication and the Gid Adkisson award was created in his honor. Yearly, this award will be given to an outstanding mentor.

Gid loved his family. His greatest source of joy were his 3 grandchildren; Carter (8), Jensen (5) and Clark (1). He loved these rambunctious boys and they in turn adored their Gaga.

Gid was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his wife, Vickie Adkisson; son, Jason Adkisson; daughter, Emily Autry and husband Jason; brother Dr. Tom Adkisson and wife Claire; 3 sisters, Annette Ortega and husband Frank, Suzanne Pointer and husband Jack, and Linda Cohea; and 3 grandchildren.

The family would like to thank all the 2nd floor ICU staff and doctors at Clovis Community Hospital for the wonderful care they provided Gid.