Ken Spears, Co-Creator Of 'Scooby-Doo,' Dies At 82

KEY POINTS

"Scooby-Doo" co-creator Ken Spears died due to complications related to Lewy body dementia
Spears worked with Joe Ruby on animated shows such as "Dog Wonder," "Jabberjaw" and "The Barkleys"
Spears’ animation partner died in August

Ken Spears, co-creator of the iconic animated series “Scooby-Doo,” died Friday. He was 82.

Spears’ son, Kevin Spears, confirmed the news of his father’s passing, revealing that he died from complications related to Lewy body dementia, Variety first reported. In his statement, he said that his father will always be remembered for “his wit, his story-telling, his loyalty to family and his strong work ethic.”

“Ken has not only made a lasting impression on his family, but he has touched the lives of many as co-creator of ‘Scooby-Doo.’ Ken has been a role model for us throughout his life and he will continue to live on in our hearts,” Kevin said.

Fans took to social media to extend their condolences to Spears’ family and share how much they loved “Scooby-Doo.”

I just found out that Ken Spears passed away today at the age of 80. Along with his late partner Joe Ruby, he went on to work on some of the most iconic cartoons ever including creating Scooby-Doo. Both Ruby and Spears will seriously be missed. pic.twitter.com/abHZkBBI11
— Animated Antic (@Animated_Antic) November 9, 2020

“Saddened by the news of Ken Spears' passing. Scooby-Doo was one of my favorite shows growing up and introduced me to some of my favorite first experiences with the kids' horror genre. I'm sad that I'll never get to meet and thank the man personally. Thanks for your hard work, Ken,” one user tweeted.

“My childhood continues to dwell away. Rest in peace #KenSpears,” another person wrote.

“Rip Ken spears. You are one of the people who made my childhood [heart emoji]” a third social media user wrote on Twitter.

“Scooby-Doo was my favorite cartoon! Thank you for the years of wonder and happy Saturday mornings that later expanded to my kids! ” @DaniScotchIrish tweeted.

Spears’ passing comes less than three months after his animation partner, Joe Ruby, died in August.

Born in 1938, Spears grew up in Los Angeles and started his professional career in 1959 as a sound editor at the Hanna-Barbera Productions. Spears met Ruby while working there and began a writing partnership.

The first episode of “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” aired in 1969 and became an instant hit. The series ran for two seasons and consisted of 25 episodes. Apart from “Scooby-Doo,” Spears and Ruby also created hit shows like “Dog Wonder,” “Jabberjaw,” “The Barkleys” and “The Houndcats.”

He also worked as an editor on animated shows such as “The Flintstones,” “Hey There, It’s Yogi Bear,” and “Johnny Quest.”

Spears is survived by his two sons, Kevin and Chris, their wives, his five grandchildren and his three great-grandchildren.