A self-taught pianist and reader of binary code, Adam Charles Kazery, 25, is remembered by friends and family as being an exceptionally talented man who touched the lives of many through his gentle and kind spirit and many diverse talents.
The senior business information systems major and The Reflector online editor was found dead in his apartment Monday. Starkville Police Department said no foul play was suspected after completing an investigation.
A line of family and friends overflowed out the front doors of the Cathedral of St. Peter of the Apostle in Jackson on Wednesday evening as people came to celebrate Kazery’s life. Several people shared stories of the strength, courage, faith, love and intelligence Kazery showed throughout his life.
“He was so smart. He could figure anything out,” family friend Jeanne B. Luckett said. “And, if he didn’t know how to do something, he worked until he mastered it.”
Kazery taught himself how to play the piano from the Internet, she said.
“One day when he was at my house working on the Web site project, he asked if he could play the piano. I said, ‘Adam, I didn’t know you played the piano,'” Luckett said. “He said, ‘I don’t. I’m just learning. I’m teaching myself,’ and he proceeded to play some Beatles tunes.”
Luckett also spoke about Kazery’s talents in graphic design, photography and Web site design.
“I was overwhelmed. His creativity was remarkable. I began working with him to create a Web site on the state’s history to parallel the future Museum of Mississippi History,” Luckett said. “He was more efficient, responsible and creative than any employee I ever had in 32 years of owning a business.”
Kyle Wrather, The Reflector’s editor in chief, spoke about Kazery’s genuineness as a person and his work ethic.
“He was always the nicest guy ever. He would always offer somebody a ride or be doing something for someone,” Wrather said.
He said Kazery was talented in many areas when it came to his job at the paper. Whatever was needed, Kazery could do it, whether it was going out to take a picture or to design something or helping edit stories.
“He was always our go-to guy,” Wrather said.
He said Kazery did an exceptional job in all aspects of his work not because he wanted recognition, but because of the pride he took in his job.
Wrather recalled saying to him one day, “‘I really appreciate everything you’re doing,’ and he [Kazery] said, ‘I just want it to be good.'”
MSU alumna Erin Kourkounis hired Kazery to work at The Reflector in 2008 when she was editor in chief. She said that she became close to him about a year ago.
“He had so much going for him. He was brilliant and funny, and he knew a whole lot of information about random things,” she said.
Kourkounis relayed how Kazery taught himself to read and understand binary code, which involves sequences of ones and zeros used in programming computers.
“He could write an entire e-mail or letter using that binary code,” she said.
Josh Hobbs, Kazery’s brother-in-law, said that he was shown binary code by Kazery but could not understand how to read it.
“He could make you feel stupid because he was just so smart. He wasn’t trying to make you feel that way,” Hobbs said, laughing. “I never heard him say an unkind word. Adam was always lighthearted.”
The Reflector managing editor Aubra Whitten said Kazery continually brought humor to the office, always trying to find a way to keep the staff laughing.
In addition to running The Reflector’s Web site, Whitten said one of Kazery’s responsibilities included designing the bulletin board page. Whitten said she became frustrated while editing last week due to many mistakes on the pages, but Kazery wanted to put her in a better mood.
“His was the last page I looked at because he told me to take my time getting to it,” she said. “I finally got around to it and discovered he had translated the entire page into Russian. I looked over to see him grinning like a little kid, and he asked, ‘So did it make you laugh?’ He knew that I was having a bad night, and he just wanted to do something goofy to make me forget about all of it.”
Kazery was very considerate and enjoyed doing things for others, Kourkounis said.
“He was a very loyal friend, and he would do anything for somebody,” she said. “If you were to say, ‘I really like this song,’ he would go home and find you the music.”
An example of Kazery’s consideration of others was shown when he brought Kourkounis a chain with a fish on the end that could be attached to her ceiling fan chain. She explained that Kazery had watched her climb on her bed many times to reach the chain to turn to her fan on and off.
“He came back to Starkville after he had gone home for the weekend, and he had that chain for me so I could reach the fan,” Kourkounis said. “I don’t think he realized how much that meant to me. But it did mean so much because he was trying to make my life easier.”
Christen Kazery Hobbs, his sister, said her brother was a remarkable man, and it was an honor to have him in her life.
“He was so brave and so strong, and I’m just so proud to be his sister,” she said. “Any time with him was better than no time at all. It was an amazing thing to be his sister.”
MSU’s College of Business granted Kazery a posthumous degree because he was in his last semester and close to graduating.
Kazery’s personal Web site displays some of his work in photography, graphic design and Web site design, and can be reached at adamkazery.com.
Editor’s Note: At the request of the family, the cause of Kazery’s death has not been included in this article. The Reflector will continue respect the family’s wishes. Any questions regarding this article or any other can be directed to [email protected].