Stuart Douglas LeDuc

Stuart Douglas “Doug” LeDuc passed away on May 11, 2026, in his Westfield home with family nearby, following a prolonged battle with cancer.

He was born March 6, 1954, on the former Naval Air Station in Hutchinson, Kansas to John William LeDuc and Dorothy Irene Stevens.

Doug grew up in Charleston, Ill., then served two years as a missionary in the German-speaking Zurich, Switzerland mission, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In 1976, he was inspired to enter the journalism profession after hearing a speech at Brigham Young University in which every student with an inclination to go into journalism was encouraged to do so. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Brigham Young in 1978, and a master’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in 1982. It was at Northwestern that Doug said he learned business journalism from a former Chicago Sun Times business editor.

He married Susan Denise Sparks on Aug. 12, 1978, in Charleston, Ill.

Doug's early years as a reporter involved four years at the Daily Journal in Kankakee; two years at the Effingham Daily News; and a year at the County Crier in Charleston.

“My first job in the industry as an 11-year-old paperboy led within a year to a current events obsession that never ended,” he once reflected.

Doug was first hired as a business journalist by the Nashville Business Journal, where he worked 1986-1989.

He joined the business news staff at the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel in 1989, working there until 2006 when he started working at Business Weekly, a year-old business publication. He remained there until he retired in 2020.

Doug earned a reputation in the community and among his colleagues for his intelligent and thorough approach to his work. Despite his quiet, soft -spoken manner, Doug did not allow himself to be bullied. He maintained the highest ethical standards and did not back off or back down from doing his job to the best of his abilities.

Colleagues also appreciated his knowledge and perspective of the business world, which he was always happy to share.

Of all the writing he did, however, Doug said what he was most proud of was a book he wrote about his mother’s life. He did many interviews with her, painstakingly transcribed the recordings and added his own words to help her preserve her memories if she went into dementia. She was thrilled, and that made him happy too.

Doug was always a great person to have a conversation with. He was smart, thoughtful and well read. His colleagues treasure those moments.

Doug was also courageous, optimistic, and an advocate for the underdog. He cared deeply about the world and about disseminating truth.

But what Doug will be most remembered for, among those lucky enough to know him, is his unfailing kindness. It was just who he was.

He is survived by his wife, Susan, his son Josh (Leah) of Westfield, Indiana; his mother, Dorothy Stevens LeDuc of Lehi, Utah; two sisters, Patrice (Lawrence) Herrington of Crystal, Minn. and Janiece LeDuc of Twin Falls, Idaho; and one brother, Eric LeDuc, of Salt Lake City, Utah.

He was preceded in death by his father and one brother.

Burial will be in the Roselawn Cemetery in Charleston, Illinois. In lieu of services, a memorial page has been created for those who wish to contribute thoughts and stories about Doug. The page can be found at www.dougleducmemorial.com.

All Doug asked, in one of his last conversations, is that his friends raise a glass and toast his memory at their next gathering.