Bohemia Historical Society
First and Foremost, Neighbors
The Adamec family — from trucking and fire trucks to the Adamec Funeral Home
In the mid-twentieth century, the children of Bohemia, New York, occasionally received an unusual ride home from school. When the weather turned sour or a bicycle tire went flat, the local undertaker’s wife would pull up, load the children and their bikes into the back of her husband’s hearse, and drive them safely home.
In almost any other town, this might have been a morbid spectacle. In Bohemia, it was just neighborly.
This blending of professional duty and everyday kindness defined the Adamec family. Long before William Adamec Jr. opened the Adamec Funeral Home in 1939, his family had already spent decades weaving themselves into the essential fabric of this Long Island hamlet. From trucking and logistics to fire protection and, eventually, caring for the dead, the Adamecs were a cornerstone of Bohemia’s evolution from a pioneer outpost into a thriving community.
1855–1928
Laying the Groundwork: Logistics and Leadership
Bohemia was founded in 1855 by Czech-Slovak pioneers like Jan Vavra, originally settling as a remote enclave known as “Vavratown.” As the village industrialized into the 1920s, a self-sustaining local economy emerged, heavily reliant on robust logistics.
At the center of this network was Anton Adamec. Operating a vital trucking business, Anton connected the village’s nursery businesses — like Adolph Ruzicka’s Bohemia Green Houses — and the M. Foster Cigar Factory to the broader regional market.
Beyond commerce, Anton was a pillar of civic pride. In April 1928, during a musical comedy at the local C.S.P.S. (Czech-Slovak Protective Association) Hall, Anton famously portrayed “Uncle Sam.” It was a highly symbolic moment: a respected community leader bridging the gap between the “Old World” immigrant heritage of Bohemia and its “New World” American identity.
The Fire Department
A Legacy of Fire Safety
In a town built largely of wood, fire was a constant, existential threat. Recognizing this, the Adamecs dedicated themselves to the Bohemia Fire Department (BFD). Anton served as Fire Chief, commanding a volunteer force of the village’s prominent men.
The commitment was multi-generational. Edward Adamec Jr. was a devoted follower of the BFD’s racing culture. Accompanied by his daughters, Fay and Lorraine, Edward was a regular at the Walnut Avenue track, cheering on the “Suicide Squad” — the department’s elite racing team. Their timed ladder and hose maneuvers were not just practice for saving lives; they were a primary source of mid-century community pride.
1939
The Adamec Funeral Home
In 1939, the family’s legacy of service took its most recognizable form when William Adamec Jr. opened the Adamec Funeral Home. Located strategically on Locust Avenue, just north of the St. John Nepomucene Roman Catholic Church (affectionately known as “the little church”), the facility represented a major cultural shift. Prior to this, most wakes in Bohemia were held in family living rooms. The Adamec chapel provided a dedicated, dignified sanctuary for mourning.
The funeral home operated in a modest, working-class economy. A snapshot of the 1940 Census reveals the economic realities of the families the Adamecs served. While the national average income was $1,725, Bohemia residents earned a stable, if slightly lower, wage.
Edward Adamec · Road Construction$1,155
Marie Adamec · Garment Worker$600
Fr. Michael Hartigan · Pastor$1,272
Evelyn Ballweg · Professional$1,450
Helen Wechsung · Professional$1,700
In this tight-knit economic landscape, the funeral home succeeded because it operated on deep personal trust. William Adamec Jr. wasn’t a distant corporate mortician; he was a neighbor.
1952–1977
An Era of Tragic Losses
Tragically, the fire safety infrastructure the Adamecs helped build would be repeatedly tested. In October 1952, an oil burner explosion caused a massive fire that reduced the American Robe Company factory on Ocean Avenue — where Marie Adamec worked — to ashes. In 1974, the Bohemia Public School burned down.
The cruelest irony came in 1977. Following William Adamec Jr.’s passing, the funeral home had closed its doors and the building stood vacant. Like so many historic wooden structures in Bohemia, the empty chapel on Locust Avenue was completely destroyed by fire, wiping its physical footprint from the map.
The Legacy
Preserving the Thread
Though the building is gone, the Adamec legacy has been meticulously safeguarded by the Bohemia Historical Society. This preservation is due in no small part to Lorraine Adamec, who married Larry Mays. Larry became a charter member of the Society and served on its Board of Directors for 26 years, with Lorraine also serving as a board member to ensure their family’s history was not lost to time.
Today, the spirit of vigilance championed by the Adamecs lives on. When a devastating electrical fire struck St. John Nepomucene in April 2012 — destroying the interior and 8 of its 9 stained glass windows — five local fire departments responded rapidly enough to save the historic structure.
The story of the Adamec Funeral Home is much more than a business history. From driving freight and fighting fires to sheltering the grieving, the Adamecs demonstrated that the true measure of a community lies in how its people care for one another. Whether protecting the living or honoring the dead, they were, first and foremost, neighbors.
Generations of Service at a Glance
1855
Bohemia Is Founded
Czech-Slovak pioneers like Jan Vavra settle the remote enclave first known as “Vavratown.”
1928
Anton Plays Uncle Sam
Trucker and Fire Chief Anton Adamec takes the stage at C.S.P.S. Hall, bridging Old World heritage and New World identity.
1934 – 1938
Cheering the Suicide Squad
Edward Adamec Jr. and his daughters are regulars at the Walnut Avenue track, following the fire department’s racing team.
1939
The Funeral Home Opens
William Adamec Jr. opens the Adamec Funeral Home on Locust Avenue, giving Bohemia its first dedicated chapel for mourning.
1952
The American Robe Fire
An oil-burner explosion destroys the Ocean Avenue factory where Marie Adamec worked — one of a string of fires that tested the town.
1977
The Empty Chapel Burns
After William Jr.’s passing, the vacant funeral home on Locust Avenue is destroyed by fire, erasing its footprint from the map.
2012
St. John Nepomucene Saved
An electrical fire guts the church’s interior and 8 of its 9 stained-glass windows, but five departments respond fast enough to save the building.