Legendary writer and co-creator of the beloved Scooby-Doo characters Ken Spears has passed away from complications relating to Lewy body dementia, Variety is reporting.
Spears made an undeniable impact on the world of cartoons and on the imaginations of children for generations.
*Scooby-Doo* is one of the most iconic cartoon franchises of all time.
Generations of kids have grown up watching the Great Dane and his group of meddling kids solve tons of different mysteries throughout many iterations, movies, shows, and toys.
Who doesn’t know the iconic “ruh-roh!” style of Scooby speak, and who hasn’t exclaimed “zoinks!” or “jinkies” in surprise at some point in their lives?!
*Scooby-Do* launched on CBS in 1969.
The show was originally intended to be a bit more light-hearted so it wouldn’t scare the kids watching, and it definitely succeeded!
Kids all over the world have grown up looking up to Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and of course, Scoob himself.
Scooby-Doo was created by the creative duo of Ken Spears and Joe Ruby.
Ken Spears and Joe Ruby made quite the team.
Alongside Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! they created DynoMutt, Dog Wonder, Jabberjaw, The Houndcats, The Barkleys_ and went one to prodocue through their own studio _Superman, Alvin And The Chipmunks, Mister T, and Saturday Supercade .
You can’t overstate their impact on the world of cartoons!
Joe Ruby passed away earlier this year.
Ruby passed away on August 26th, 2020 at the age of 87 years old.
“He never stopped writing and creating, even as he aged,” Ruby’s grandson said at the time.
It seems that the duo can be together again.
It has been announced the Ken Spears passed away on Friday, November 6th.
“Ken will forever be remembered for his wit, his story-telling, his loyalty to family, and his strong work ethic,” Ken’s son, Kevin said . “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.”
Fans are taking the time on social media to share how much they love and appreciate Ken’s work.
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“RIP Ken Spears. Thank you for giving us an awesome childhood. Thank you for inspiring us to think critically, and catch the villain. Thank you for inspiring us all to be meddling kids,” one fan wrote .
Our thoughts are with Ken’s family and friends and this difficult time.
To honor Ken’s legacy, share your favorite moments from any of their cartoons right here in the comments!
I’ll always remember watching Scooby-Doo and laughing so hard watching them chase monsters through different hallways! What’s your favorite moment? Let us know!
