x
Breaking News
More () »

Longtime Ohio newscaster, former WKYC anchor Doug Adair dies at 89: Look back at his career

Adair worked at Channel 3 for 13 years during the 1970s and 80s.

Doug Adair, who graced Ohio's local news airwaves for more than three decades, has died at the age of 89.

Adair's family confirms he "passed away peacefully" on Monday in Pleasanton, California. His many stops in television included a 13-year stint at WKYC.

Take a look back at Adair's career in the video below:

Born in Xenia, Ohio in 1929, Adair graduated from Northwestern University and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War before beginning his broadcasting career in Dayton. He first came to Cleveland in 1958 as a reported and anchor at WJW channel 8, and six years later paired with Joel Daly as part of the first ever two-man anchor team to report from the same desk.

In 1970, Adair joined WKYC as a co-anchor on the nightly newscasts, and his tenure saw major stories of the era such as the Danny Greene mob wars and the mayoral terms of Dennis Kucinich and George Voinovich. Colleagues of Adair at Channel 3 included Virgil Dominic and future Today Show star Al Roker.

Adair left for Columbus in 1983 to take a similar job at WCMH channel 4. His co-anchor at the time was none other than his then-wife Mona Scott (another former WKYC colleague), and the pairing soon topped the local news ratings.

Adair was inducted into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1992 before retiring in 1994. He won several Emmys for his work and was also honored by religious organizations for his reporting series "The Crisis in Christianity." Among the many figures he interviewed were Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and even sitting U.S. presidents.

Also known for his community outreach, Adair was honored by Big Brothers of Greater Cleveland and the Joint Veterans Commission during his life. He served on the boards of Goodwill Industries, the United Way, the Columbus Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Council of Churches of Cleveland.

WKYC spoke with former anchor Virgil Dominic on Wednesday to reflect on Adair's career. You can listen to the full interview below:

Adair is survived by his third wife Jean, three children, five grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. A celebration of his life will take place one month from today on June 1 at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Brecksville. Calling hours will be from 10:45-11:45 a.m. with services to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the Alzheimer's Association through its online Doug Adair tribute page.

Before You Leave, Check This Out