Sure-footed. Punctual.
Holladay, UT—Our beloved dad, son, brother, husband, best friend and adventure partner, Adam, passed away peacefully at his home in Holladay on September 8, 2021 at age 43 from appendix cancer.
Adam was born in St. Louis Park, Minnesota and moved to Utah as a small child. He grew up in Sandy and graduated from Alta High School, where he excelled in debate and made lasting friendships. He attended the University of Utah for both undergrad and law school, graduating from the S.J. Quinney College of Law in 2003.
Following graduation, Adam went to work as a prosecutor in the Office of Professional Conduct where he was later promoted to Deputy Counsel. Adam was known to be smart, decisive, and cool under pressure in an extraordinarily challenging job. His writing and public speaking skills, including before the Utah Supreme Court, were exceptional. One of his mentors remarked that she continued to learn from Adam long after she left the OPC for the bench. His colleagues at the OPC knew he loved them, from the trivial to the serious: he volunteered to change shirts when his office-mate arrived at work wearing the same-colored shirt; he quietly but unmistakably lit every room he occupied; and most importantly, he filled every hole of heart-break with support.
In 2002 Adam married Joshalynn Chard (Marino). They had two wonderful children together and later divorced. In 2012, Adam and Emily McMillan had the great fortune of coming into each other’s lives at just the right time, and together they made a happy home for their kids.
From the time he was young, Adam loved being outside. As he grew, so did his love for the outdoors and particularly all of the opportunities for adventure Utah has to offer. You could frequently find him riding his mountain bike or hiking any one of his favorite trails in the Wasatch. When he wasn’t doing that, he was camping in the Uintas, exploring a new spot in one of our National Parks, or driving his truck off-road over red rocks, often with his kids screaming with delight in the back as heavy metal blared from the open windows. He was a life-long music fan and avid concert-goer, and had an encyclopedic knowledge of obscure music facts. He was admired by all who knew him for his quick, dry, self-deprecating wit; he could tell a joke that would leave everyone rolling without ever cracking a smile himself. Adam loved to travel and never hesitated at the opportunity to experience a new place and good food with excellent company. Many of his friends will say their best trips were taken with Adam.
It was important to Adam to share these passions with his kids. He leaves them with a legacy of love for adventure, mountains, desert, food, music and humor.
Here is a partial list of things Adam was good at: Hiking, cooking, appreciating food, splitting wood with an axe, growing a beard, being on time, finding just the right trail, making a great cocktail, telling dad jokes, nurturing relationships, remembering details, making popcorn for movie night, and being a really incredible father and stellar step-dad.
Here is a comprehensive list of things Adam was not good at: Handwriting.
Adam is survived by his wife Emily, children Mya and Gretchen Bevis, mother Marilyn Bevis, brother Jeff Bevis (Lisa Winn), step-daughter Charlotte Consiglio, and canine best friend Luke. He was preceded in death by his father John Bevis.
Adam and the family are profoundly grateful for the outstanding medical teams who worked diligently to help him fight this illness and took excellent care of him, particularly Dr. Laura Lambert, the nurses and staff of Huntsman Cancer Hospital, Huntsman at Home Hospice, and CNS Home Health Care.
Adam did not want a funeral. He asked that his friends and family share good stories over good drinks, and that his ashes be scattered in a few of his favorite spots in nature. So, if you find yourself in the backcountry of the Wasatch, in red rock country, or the farthest reaches of the B.V.I., think of Adam because he’s there.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the ACPMP Research Foundation or Huntsman Cancer Foundation.