Alonzo Theodore Adams II (March 15, 1925 – November 28, 2020) was an American food scientist who was the inventor and creator of the modern day snack brand Slim Jim. He received his undergrad degree from

St. Ambrose University St. Ambrose University is a private Catholic university in Davenport, Iowa. It was founded as a school of commerce for young men in 1882. History Foundation St. Ambrose was founded as a seminary and school of commerce for young men in 1882, know ...

Davenport, Iowa Davenport is a city in and the county seat of Scott County, Iowa, United States. Located along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state, it is the largest of the Quad Cities, a metropolitan area with a population of 384,324 and a ...

, and his Master's degree from Iowa State University in

Ames, Iowa Ames () is a city in Story County, Iowa, United States, located approximately north of Des Moines in central Iowa. It is best known as the home of Iowa State University (ISU), with leading agriculture, design, engineering, and veterinary medici ...

. The New York Times labeled him the "Father" of the Slim Jim in an article written in 1996. Adams worked for Conagra Brands for most of his career. Adams was a World War II veteran who was in the Battle of the Bulge, in which he survived being shot in the head. He died from COVID-19 at a hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina, on November 28, 2020, at age 95.

References

1925 births 2020 deaths American food scientists Conagra Brands St. Ambrose University alumni Iowa State University alumni Place of birth missing Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina {{US-scientist-stub