Lee Douglas

The phone rang Sunday morning while I was in Denver. A friend told me he had bad news: Lee Douglas died. I felt everything draining from me, and I said, "What-Say that again" Lee Douglas had died. Lee was the longtime sportscaster at KOAA TV Channel 5 in Southern Colorado. I had worked alongside Lee the last 7 years calling Air Force Football games on KVOR. I just had lunch with Lee on Monday. He looked great and said he was feeling good. But this past Saturday, after waking up Lee was not feeling well. He drove himself to the hospital, and was diagnosed with a severe kidney infection. Then his kidneys shut down and he passed away early Sunday morning.

I remember suggesting Lee would be a great color analyst for the Air Force Football Network. I knew him professionally but did not see him very often because of my schedule. We hit it off right away. He always greeted everybody with a warm smile. Lee had a hearty laugh, one that reminded you of Ed McMahon from The Tonight Show. He always had fun in life-serious when he needed to be, always a professional. He worked hard and played hard. Lee was from Pueblo and never forgot that, delivering stories about Pueblo sports with as much enthusiasm and professionalism as he would a Broncos recap. Lee did more than give a score. He showed us people and their personalities and their hearts. His warm delivery jumped through the TV, which is hard to do. He made you feel like a member of the family the first time you met him.

Lee loved covering Air Force Football. He had covered it as a reporter for years, and the last 7 did so as a color analyst. We had so much fun on Air Force road trips. Both Lee and I love music so anytime we jumped in the the rental car we listened to songs and challenged each other. This past year we were at Notre Dame and there was a blimp overhead providing live shots for TV. Lee was so excited. I kidded him about it. he said, "How often do you do a game and have a blimp there?" He was right.

Southern Colorado has lost a friend. I have lost a friend. Lee was fun, gently, happy and always a pleasure to be around. Lee never had a bad thing to say about anybody. The world is a sadder place today with Lee no longer with us. Heaven just got one heck of a sportscaster. I'm sorry Heaven needed him more. Rest in Peace my friend.