COLUMBUS, OH. (THECOUNT) — Legendary Cleveland and Columbus news anchor, Doug Adair, passed away surrounded by family on Monday in Pleasanton, California. He was 89.
The Emmy Award-winning anchor from Xenia Ohio, graduated from Northwestern University and served in the Air Force during the Korean War. He then began his career in broadcast journalism in Dayton, Ohio.
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Adair joined WJW-TV in Cleveland as both a reporter and anchor in 1958. In 1964, Adair and Joel Daly became part of the first ever two-man anchor team to report news from the same desk.
He later joined WKYC-TV in 1970 as a co-anchor. In 1983, he made his final move to WCMH-TV in Columbus. When he retired in 1994, he was Ohio’s longest-serving television news anchor, reports NBC4i.
Adair was inducted to the Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
Adair served on the boards of Goodwill Industries, the United Way, the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Columbus and the Council of the Churches of Cleveland.
He is survived by his wife; Jean, his children; Lee (Nori), Tim (Jeanne), and Lynn (Ken), grandchildren; James (Libby), Julie (Doug), Eva, Sarah (Bruce), and Kim, and 8 great-grandchildren.
Family and friends are invited to attend Adair’s celebration at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, where Doug was a Founding Father (9549 Highland Drive in Brecksville Ohio, 44141).
Doug Adair, Amanda Arnold, Tom Ryther and on sports Al Roker.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association through the online Doug Adair tribute page.