from the USTA Communications Department

Columbus, OH —John R. Eades, 67, a lifelong harness horseman, died Aug. 6, 2016, at his home in London, Ohio.

It was perhaps fitting that Mr. Eades, who dearly loved training trotters, died unexpectedly while watching the broadcast of the Hambletonian.

Mr. Eades had started horses in the Hambletonian and trained in Italy where he achieved success.

Born Oct. 5, 1948, in Columbus, he was a son of Raymel and Lois (Loveless) Eades.

His father was a diehard harness racing fan, and took his sons, David and John, to the opening night of racing at Scioto Downs in 1959.

Mr. Eades began working for Hall of Fame horseman Delvin Miller in the 1960s as a groom while was attending the University of Kentucky in Lexington. He often spent his spare time at The Red Mile watching horses train during the winter.

He later served as an assistant to another Hall of Famer, John F. Patterson, Sr., and worked in that capacity for many years on the New York circuit.

Mr. Eades had such a strong interest in European racing, that he attracted the attention of legendary French horseman and breeder J-P Dubois, and he later trained many horses for Dubois in the United States.

Mr. Eades was also involved in exporting horses, and accompanied the great stallion Supergill when that horse was flown across the Atlantic from the United States to Italy in the 1990s.

In 1996, Mr. Eades campaigned the Supergill trotter Tony Oaks, who won the Colonial Stakes and started in the Hambletonian against Continentalvictory and Lindy Lane. Tony Oaks later became a leading sire in Eastern Europe.

Fillgood, a grandson of Valley Victory, was also another top stakes star developed and trained by Mr. Eades. He won the Florida Breeders Stake final.

In recent years he has trained a small stable, including trotters owned by his brother David, who was mayor of London, Ohio for more than 25 years.

Mr. Eades was a member of the U.S. Trotting Association, the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association and the Madison County Horsemen’s Association.

Mr. Eades is survived by his brother, David; nephews and nieces, Greg (Barb), Marc, Amber (Lawrence) Booghier, Megan, Russ (Alice) Dillion, Lynn Dillion-Gyurcsik, Mike Dillion and Tim Dillion; many great-nephews and great-nieces; and dear friend, Peggy Beathard. He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Nancy Dillion.

In accordance with his wishes, he is to be cremated and a memorial service will be held at 12 noon Wednesday (Aug. 10) in the Eberle-Fisher Funeral Home and Crematory, 103 N. Main St., London, with Reverend Steve Rodger officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home from 10 a.m.-12 noon.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be sent to the James Cancer Hospital (www.cancer.osu.edu/giving-back/ways-to-donate) for cancer research.

Online condolences for the family may be sent to www.eberlefisherfuneralhome.com.