Our History

About Us

We have years of experience caring for families, from all walks of life. Each family comes to us because they know we are leaders in our profession, dedicated to excellence in service, and have the highest integrity.

Built in 1912 by Edward R. Goodman, the house at 421 West 4th Street was purchased by Keith Neville and wife, Mary, in 1923- Keith being the governor of Nebraska from 1917 to 1919. The couple occupied the home until it was purchased by Bill Adams and Kenneth Swanson in the early 1950s and was then renovated to function as a funeral home and ambulance service, formally opening on July 7, 1951. From the very first funeral call on opening day to present time, the people working within have always striven to provide compassion and guidance to families locally and in the surrounding area.

Since its opening in 1951, the funeral home has undergone numerous remodeling changes, beginning with the addition of the front porch in the early 1950s. Next, in 1957, the chapel and casket room were added to the north end of the building, followed by the addition of a large parking lot and a four-bay shed built in the 1970s after the purchase of the lot on the north side. The east addition of the home, now known as the “office”, was added at the beginning of the 1980s, and also included a wheelchair ramp and covered carport. In 2023, the casket room on the second floor was redesigned to hold a wider range of caskets, as well as urns and other cremation merchandise. Most recently, in 2024, the facility’s interior was completely remodeled with new carpet, paint, and furniture throughout. The rose-beige carpet was removed from the main staircase, exposing the original hardwood. The funeral home facility is both modern for the use of our patrons but retain a sense of nostalgia when one walks through the doors. The friendly and helpful staff at Adams & Swanson is always glad to give tours of our facility, answer any questions about the funeral home, or any questions regarding funeral arrangements. Please feel free to stop and visit us at any time.

Wilson Theodore ‘Bill’ Adams was born on March 2, 1907, at Fremont, to Orlando and Lena Wilson Adams. As a young boy, he lived at Kimball and Dix before moving with his family to North Platte. His father established the Adams Funeral Home on East 5th Street. Bill was a 1927 graduate of North Platte High School. After high school, he attended Worshem’s School of Embalming in Chicago. After graduation he worked with his brother, Jack Sterling ‘Ting’ Adams, at the Adams Funeral Home in the building that is now the Knights of Columbus Hall. He also operated a gas station at 4th and Jeffers and worked for the Union Pacific Railroad. He married Galdys F. Case in 1943. He and his wife each had a son, W.T. ‘Bill’ Adams, Jr. and Lee Ragains. He was part owner of Adams & Swanson Funeral Home for 37 years until he retired in 1988. He passed away on May 2, 1990. Gladys passed away on August 5, 1990. He and his wife are buried in the North Platte Cemetery.

Bill & Gladys Adams

Kenneth Arnold Swanson was born November 7, 1913, at Wahoo to George and Rose Swanson. His father was also a funeral director. Kenneth was a 1929 graduate of Wahoo High School and attended Luther College at Wahoo. He attended and graduated from the Hohenschuh Carperter College of Embalming in St. Louis in 1935. He was associated in the funeral service for 14 years at Beatrice and three years at York. He and his family moved to North Platte in 1951. He and his wife Edythe had four children: a son, Kent, and three daughters, Joan, Kathryn, and Linda. Kenneth passed away at age 53 on September 14, 1966. His wife, Edythe passed away on December 19, 1995. He and Edythe are buried next to Bill and Gladys Adams in the North Platte Cemetery.