Doug Lawhead

Ralph Douglas Lawhead of Ashmore, IL, died unexpectedly at 12:23 pm Thursday, August 23, 2012 after collapsing while in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. He was born August 13, 1953 in Robinson, IL, the son of Ralph E. and Betty Lou Conrad Lawhead.He was a LAN support specialist II and photojournalism instructor in the journalism department at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL. He was promoted to IT Manager/Adminstrative Coordinator (Assistant to the Dean of Academic Technology) as of August 1st.As a Boy Scout in Troop 327, he attended National Jamboree in Farragut State Park in Idaho in 1969 which was addressed by Neil Armstrong as Mr. Armstrong walked on the Moon during the United States' first Lunar Landing. He was a member of the Order of the Arrow.He graduated from Robinson High School with the class of 1971 and graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Masters in Technology.His first journalism position was at the Robinson Daily News, Robinson, IL, as a photographer and reporter. In 1992, he moved to Coles County, Ill., as a photographer with the Journal Gazette Times Courier in Mattoon, IL. He was the photographer for Illinois Boys State for several years including 2012.He was a pilot, served on the Crawford County Airport Board and coordinated Air Shows at George Field in Lawrenceville, Ill. He was a former newsletter editor and an active member of the James Jones Literary Society. In recent years, he pursued his passion for photography while capturing the rural landmarks and country landscapes and exhibited his Digital Photo Art in several exhibitions in central Illinois. Doug married Marcia Kay Riker on January 12, 1980, and she survives. Also surviving are their two sons, Aaron Joseph Lawhead, Plano, TX and Brady Douglas Lawhead, Chicago, IL; his mother, Betty Lou Lawhead, Trimble, IL; a sister and brother-in-law, Lugene and Rodney Bond, Trimble, IL; mother-in-law, Eleanor Riker, Oblong, IL; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Dave and Jan Riker, Robinson, IL; sister-in-law, Margo Riker, Oblong, IL; niece, Kara Riker and great niece, Willow; niece, Amber Riker; nephew, Isaac C. Bond; his aunt and uncle, Donna and Myrl Littlejohn, Oblong, IL and several cousins. He was preceded in death by twin sons, Alex James and Mitchell Keith in 1987; his father Ralph E. Lawhead in 1992 and father-in-law, Keith 'Tuffy,' Riker in 1999.Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, August 27, 2012 at the Goodwine Funeral Home, Robinson with Rev. Michael Laflin officiating. Burial will be in the Oblong Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday, August 26, 2012 at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the James Jones Chair in World War II studies at Eastern Illinois University.