Ronald Rex Sholar -- Master of Sacred Music

 

Ronald Rex Sholar

Ronald Rex Sholar was born on October 10, 1931 in Cadiz, Kentucky.  He was the youngest of seven children born to Robert Euel Sholar and Emma Goebel Cox Sholar.  His father, Euel, worked as a repairman for the telephone company in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.  Ron’s siblings were Robert Lawrence, born in 1920; Clarence Ward, born in 1921; Elva Gwendolyn, born in 1923; Rosetta Evelyn, born in 1925; Jean Carolyn born in 1926 and Donald Euel, born in 1928.

Ron grew up in Hopkinsville and graduated from Hopkinsville High School where he played in the high school band.  He graduated from Murray State University with a bachelor’s degree in music.  At MSU he served as president of the senior class and was listed as a “Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities”.  He then enrolled in the Southern Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky where he received a Master of Sacred Music degree.

On August 21, 1955, Ron married Gloria Fern Phillips at the First Baptist Church in Clay, Kentucky.  Gloria was born on July 4, 1933 in Crittenden County, Kentucky, the daughter of Samuel Boyd and Georgia King Phillips. She was a graduate of Murray State University with a degree in Education and taught in numerous positions during her career.  Ron and Gloria were the parents of four children, Ronald Rex, Jr., born in 1956; Phillip Jeffery, born in 1957; Stephen Gregory, born in 1959 and Jill Elizabeth born in 1961.

After becoming a Baptist minister, Ron served as the minister of music in a number of Kentucky churches, beginning with the First Baptist Church in Clay, Kentucky in 1952. He ended up serving as a minister of music for over 70 years, ending up serving for his last 20 years as the Music Director for the Sinking Fork Baptist Church in his home town of Hopkinsville.

While Sholar not only loved music, he loved the Lord as he was known as the longest-serving member as minister of music in the history of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. During his life, he had a collection of instruments he played which included a triumph trombone, as well as other instruments. Upon his death, these instruments were donated to Hopkinsville High School, which were used by the students of the band. His son was quoted as saying, “It felt only right to donate Dad’s instruments to Hopkinsville High School.  My Dad, my siblings and I all went to Hoptown High and we all played in the band. It felt natural to return his instruments to our old stomping ground. We love that kids today are able to use all the instruments and truly enjoy them.”

Ron was known as a man of music. The entire Sholar family was musically inclined. Gloria played the piano, Ron, Jr. played the trumpet, Phil played the trombone, Steve played the trumpet and Jill played the flute and harp.

Ron died on January 23, 2022 at the age of 90 in the Bowling Green Medical Center.  He was buried in the Flat Lick Cumberland Presbyterian Church  Cemetery in Herndon, Kentucky.  His wife, Gloria, died on February 5, 2001 in Hopkinsville at the age of 67 and was also buried in the Flat Lick Cumberland Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

 

 Ron Sholar

 

Tombstone of Ronald and Gloria Sholar

LINEAGE:  (Ronald Rex Sholar was the son of Robert Euel and Emma Goebel Cox Sholar and the grandson of Drewry and Rosetta Olive Grigsby Sholar.  Drewry was the son of William Bridges and Mary Hutt Sholar. William was the fourth child of Allen and Jemima Bridges Sholar.  Jemima was the first child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)