Doug Adams' Family $1 million Gift to Xenia Schools Highlights Greene Giving Luncheon

A surprise gift of $1 million to the Xenia Community Schools highlighted the Greene County Community Foundations (Greene Giving) annual luncheon this past Thursday, April 29 at Greene Country Club. The million-dollar commitment was extended by Edna Adams in memory of her son, Doug, a standout athlete at Xenia High School who played on Ohio States 1968 national championship team before he was tragically killed in a bicycling accident.

Xenia Superintendent of Schools, Jeff Lewis, along with Greene Giving and Xenia Board of Education President Dr. Paul Dillaplain joined Mrs. Adams in making the announcement.

Dougs father, Armic Adams, began his career with Xenia Community Schools in 1958.  He taught at Central Junior High School and was also a principal at both Cox and Simon Kenton elementary schools. He finished his career as the districts curriculum director in 1981.

After an outstanding football career at Xenia, Doug was one of the Super Sophomores who along with such notables as Rex Kern, Jim Stillwagon and Jan White led the Buckeyes to the 1968 national title. A defensive standout, he was selected by his teammates to be a co-captain in his senior year. After graduation he played professionally with the Cincinnati Bengals, primarily on special teams.

Upon completion of his football career, Doug returned to Ohio State University and received a degree from its School of Dentistry. He opened a practice in Mt. Orab, a Cincinnati suburb, where he also enjoyed lifelong passion for bicycling throughout Brown County. It was on one of these recreational rides that he was tragically killed at only 48 years of age by a motorist. Shortly after his death, Dougs mother and father undertook efforts to create a weight room in their sons memory. The Doug Adams Fitness Center became a reality in 2000 with his life memorialized in a display case just outside the weight room facility.