Douglas Eads

It is with heavy, broken hearts that the family of Douglas Edward Eads announces his passing. Doug, age 60, of Science Hill, Kentucky, passed away from this life on Friday, May 2, 2025, at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital. Doug was born on August 28, 1964, to James Edward Eads and Janet Carol Henderson Eads Linville in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Doug was preceded in death by his great-grandparents Ida and Clarence Nunn of Windsor, KY; his paternal grandparents Stanley and Susie Eads of Norwood, OH; his maternal grandparents Frank and Virginia Henderson of Nancy, KY; his father, James Eads of Russell Springs, KY; his mother, Janet Henderson Eads-Linville of Georgetown, KY; his uncle Richard Fox of Nancy, KY; his cousins David Fox and Ricky Fox of Nancy, KY; Halle Henderson of Spring Hill, Tennessee; his uncle Ken Holloway of Loveland, OH; his parental in-laws James Estill and Jewell Bea Mercer of Science Hill, KY; and his brother-in-law James Loyd Mercer of Science Hill, KY.

He leaves behind to cherish his memory and mourn his passing his wife of 38 years, Deborah Lou Mercer Eads of Science Hill, KY; his son Adam Eads (Beverly) of Russell Springs, KY; his daughter Abigail Brianna Eads-Caldwell (Jeremy) of Somerset, KY; his grandchildren Luna Abigail Eads of Russell Springs, KY; Millie Jo Caldwell, Bralie Michelle Caldwell, Lane Allen Caldwell, and Zaiden Parker Cole Caldwell of Somerset, KY; his brother Jamie Brian Eads (Lisa) of Georgetown, KY; his niece Skylar Victoria Eads of Georgetown, KY; his maternal aunts and uncles Barbara Fox of Nancy, KY; Marjorie Holloway of Loveland, Ohio; Russell Henderson of Sydney, Ohio; Larry Henderson (Dianne) of Spring Hill, Tennessee; Roger Henderson of Spring Hill, Tennessee; Donna Henderson Watson (Chuck) of Georgetown, KY; his paternal aunt and uncle Marilyn Eads Gosser (Roger) of Indianapolis, IN; his cousin-like-a-sister, Melanie Gosser Sims of Greenwood, Indiana; his cousin-like-a-brother, Matthew Gosser (Stephanie) of Indianapolis, IN; his cousins, whom he considered sons, Eric Allen Sims (Gabie) and Bryant Andrew Sims of Greenwood, IN; other cousins, whom Doug loved very much include Eric, Mary Jo, Trevor and Taryn Fox; Susan, and Ashley Dalrymple; Kristen (Andrew) Hyden, Barry McLin; Dennis, Kevin, Benji, Junior, Chris, Andrew, Lily and Grecelynne Henderson; Rodney, Tammy, and Christopher (Madelynn) Henderson; Sherry and Robert Hirth, Alec and Garrett Johnson; Shawn, Hope, and Aiden Henderson; Kristy, Phillip, Jenna, and Avery McMillan; Shelby, Wyatt, and Augustus Gosser.

He and his family moved to Windsor, KY, in 1967, where he grew up on the family farm and resided there until earning his bachelor's degree in Communications and Journalism from Eastern Kentucky University in May 1985.

Doug was also a graduate of Casey County High School, class of 1982. While there, he was, and still to this day is, considered to be a Casey County football legend for his four years starting for the varsity team. He joyfully returned to Casey County High School on June 5, 2015, to play football one last time in the Casey County Rebels Alumni game.

After college, Doug moved to Indianapolis and lived with his aunt (Marilyn Gosser) and uncle (Roger Gosser) and their two children (Melanie Gosser Sims and Matthew Gosser). While there, Doug was hired has the sports editor for the Rushville Republican Newspaper in Rushville, Indiana.

After proposing to his wife, Deborah Mercer Eads, they moved to Somerset, Kentucky, where they were married on June 14th, 1986.

During his career in sports journalism, Doug was employed by The Observer, The Somerset-Pulaski News Journal, Pulaski Week, and the Commonwealth Journal. He loved covering local high school sports for 41 years in Pulaski County. In 41 years, Doug wrote and published over 16,000 sports articles. In addition to local sports, he covered University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball and football, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cincinnati Reds, Notre Dame football, and other professional sports. During his career he was blessed to meet multiple prominent and professional athletes such as Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Boomer Esiason, Elbert "Ickey" Woods, Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Patrick Sparks, Demarcus Cousins, John Wall, Jeff Shepperd, John Elway, Joe Namath, Rudy Ruettiger, Tommy Lasorda, Dave Parker, Ric Flair, Jerry "The King" Lawler, and many others. One of his greatest career opportunities was interviewing Pete Rose two days after Rose broke Ty Cobb's Major League Baseball record for most career hits.

Along with his career in sports journalism, Doug was also employed by iHeart Media to broadcast play-by-play coverage for local high school football and basketball games. He is a two-time Hall of Fame sports writer. He was inducted into the Kentucky High School Athletics Association's 12th Region Boys Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007. He was also inducted into the KHSAA's 12th Region Girls Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023. Doug also briefly served as Sports Information Director for men's basketball at Campbellsville University-Somerset Campus during 2019 and 2020. He was the head coach for the Southern Middle School's Lady Warriors Basketball Team for a few seasons starting in 2004. He was also the host and on-air personality for Swap and Shop on iHeart Radio of Somerset for several years. His radio career started in the mid-1980s as a DJ for WJRS in Russell Springs, Kentucky. While in college, he worked at WIRV in Irvine, Kentucky, while attending classes at EKU. Doug also worked as an on-air DJ for a local station, "First Radio," in Somerset, KY.

He was the editor and sports editor for the newspaper "The Mirror" at Somerset Community College. He and his late brother-in-law, Jim Mercer, created a sports podcast titled The Doug Out, where he interviewed numerous local and professional sports figures. One of the interviews he was insanely proud of was with his childhood hero, Ken Anderson, a former quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals. To say Doug loved sports is a huge understatement. He lived and breathed sports his entire life. Doug could quote facts and statistics about any sport, team, or athlete without hesitation. So much so that he won the sports trivia competition on a Carnival Cruise Ship bound for the Bahamas in 2014 against hundreds of complete strangers. Everywhere he went, Doug was talking sports to anyone who would participate or listen. Over the years, he made long-lasting friendships with the athletes he covered and their families. He was always proud to run into someone on the street he had covered while they were in high school.

Most recently, Doug was employed with the City of Somerset, Parks and Recreation, for 11 years as Sales and Marketing Representative. While there, he helped organize an annual charity golf scramble. The proceeds benefited local children through Project Angel Tree with the Somerset Junior Women's Club.

He was a member of Nelson Valley Baptist Church, where he served as song leader for many years. Doug was saved in 2003, when he gave his life to Jesus. Since then, his faith remained strong, and he talked often about looking forward to the day he would be called home to be with his savior and loved ones who had gone on before him. His number one wish was to toss a football with Jesus.

Doug was a sports enthusiast, a loving husband, an incredible father, an amazing "Pops" to his grandchildren, a beloved brother, and a wonderful uncle and cousin to his large family. He was a light and blessing to anyone he came in contact with and lived his life to the absolute fullest, every, single, day.

He loved his family very much and worked hard, often working two or three jobs to make sure his family had what they needed and much of what they wanted. In the last few years of his life, he and Debbie were blessed to travel and see many of God's beautiful creations all over the United States. He will be sorely missed by all.

A funeral service will be held Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 11:00 AM Eastern Time in the chapel of Pulaski Funeral Home with Bro. Rob Tranthem officiating.

Burial will follow at Sweeney's Chapel Cemetery.

The family will receive friends Wednesday, May 7 from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Pulaski Funeral Home.

In honor of Doug's wishes, the family requests for people, if able, feel free to come dressed in either Cincinnati Bengal colors or University of Kentucky colors or attire, to show your support for his two favorite teams.

In Lieu of flowers the family requests expressions of sympathy take the form of contributions to the Sweeney's Chapel Burial Fund.

Pulaski Funeral Home is honored to assist the family with arrangements.