Elder Reginald H. Adair was born in northern Queensland, Australia. During his youth he studied in Gisbon, New Zealand, and became a licensed lead-pipe worker. Then he heard the voice of God telling him: “Come, follow me!”

He grew up with the Three Angels’ Messages and was taught by his devoted Adventist mother. He was baptized when he was 17 years of age.

He enrolled in the New Zealand Seminary in 1915 with a major in accounting. He progressed quickly and became the school accountant during his senior year. At the end of the school year 1917 Adair became a colporteur. In 1918 he assumed the position of accountant and transportation coordinator for the Northern New Zealand Conference. In 1921 he became treasurer of the same conference. That year he and life-long partner Leila Thomas were married. She survived him by ten years. They had twins, Kenneth and Oswyn.

In 1923 Adair and his family relocated in Sydney, Australia, where he was hired as the accountant for the Sydney office of the Sanitarium Food Company. He gained fame when he became a member of the Australian Association of Accountants as well as a member of the Australian Association of Secretaries.

He moved to the Australasian Division office in 1927 when he became an Assistant Treasurer, then Under-Treasurer and in 1936 he became the Treasurer. In 1946 Adair was elected an Assistant Auditor for the General Conference. He was ordained in 1948. That year he and his wife set sail in an ocean liner for Shanghai where he served as Treasurer for the China Division. Because of civil war, the Chinese currency was in an upheaval and many worried about how to finance the denomination’s operations in such a situation. With wisdom from above, Adair guided the China Division through that period of financial instability.