ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Saturday, January 6, 1996              TAG: 9601110028
SECTION: CURRENT                  PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
                                             TYPE: NEWS OBIT 
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau 

LONGTIME GOP LEADER DIES

Thomas Ozro MacAdoo, "Mr. Republican" to many in Montgomery County, died early Thursday at the age of 73.

Although he had a doctorate in classical languages and was an associate professor of Greek and Latin at Virginia Tech before his retirement, this wiry, talkative bachelor was best known in the New River Valley as an ardent and conservative Republican.

During the fall campaign season, his yard on Cork Drive in Blacksburg would sprout a bumper crop of GOP campaign signs. He served most recently as Republican headquarters manager in Montgomery County.

County Treasurer Ellis Meredith said he'd known MacAdoo for 30 years and always admired his straightforwardness and his wry sense of humor.

"He was a very loyal supporter of our party and, in my estimation, a gentleman," Meredith said. "You didn't have to second-guess how he felt about a matter. He was very upfront."

MacAdoo was known for giving humorous and purposely long-winded appeals for the county Republican Party's "Elephant Club" fund-raising group before each monthly meeting.

"The thing I like about Dr. MacAdoo ... he always was willing to lend a hand and do the work. He believed passionately about things, and he was willing to make a difference," said Dave Nutter, county party chairman.

Freda Conner, assistant county treasurer, remembered MacAdoo warmly. "Dr. MacAdoo just helped us all; I just really appreciated him very much."

MacAdoo, a Pulaski native, died Thursday at his brother's home there.

Since his retirement from Virginia Tech, MacAdoo had spent much of this time naming new bacteria discovered around the world. His work recently has been published in England in the Handbook of New Bacterial Systematics.

MacAdoo, who served in World War II in the Army Transportation Corps in Alaska, was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Blacksburg.

A service will be held at 11 this morning at St. Mary's, with the Rev. Donald H. Lemay officiating. Burial will follow in Westview Cemetery in Blacksburg. A brief reception will be held at the church after the service.

The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the church's Memorial Fund.

LENGTH: Short :   48 lines