Clara Ann Sholar

Clara Ann Dowdy Sholar, 85, passed away on Saturday, April 28, 2012 in Bowling Green, KY, where she had been living for the past 22 years. She was born in Hopkinsville, KY, on May 26, 1926, and lived for many years raising her family in Owensboro, KY. At the beginning of World War II, while she was working as a telephone operator in Hopkinsville, she had just briefly met her future husband, Allen Hudson Sholar, when he was deployed to war. As he was hopping on the train to leave she handed him a matchbook with her phone number jotted inside. When he returned from his service in Europe, he called her and began a courtship culminating in a love-filled marriage of forty-four years until his death in 1990. While living in Owensboro, Ann and Allen were very active in Walnut Street Baptist Church, where Ann taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, and led with her husband in Sunday evening programming for families.

After moving to Bowling Green, Ann was active in Eastwood Baptist Church until her health prevented her from attending. She was also active in Bible studies at the Bowling Green Retirement Village where she greatly enjoyed her many friends. She was an avid supporter of the Christian Student Fellowship at Western Kentucky University and " adopted" many of the students as her own. She was a devoted Christian , wife, mother , grandmother and great- grandmother influencing generations and she had a special gift for making acquaintances into friends, and friends into " family". She was a charming story-teller always ready for an adventure and found great joy in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Almost everyone who met her was uplifted by her winsomeness , charm, wit, faith, and grace.

Ann was preceded in death by her father and mother, Charles Bernice Dowdy Sr. and
Mary Elizabeth Keel Dowdy; two brothers, C.B. Dowdy Jr. and Edward B. Dowdy, and a sister, Mary Charlotte Neal.

She is survived by her seven children, Michael Sholar ( Linda) of Owensboro, KY, Tony Sholar ( Linn) of Frankfort, KY, Teresa Stovall ( Steve) of Bowling Green, KY, Sue Sholar of Louisville, KY, Daniel Sholar ( Jenny) of Frankfort, KY, Tami Shain ( Billy) of Owensboro, KY, and Chris Sholar ( Vicki) of Clover, SC. She is also survived by fifteen grandchildren and twelve great- grandchildren.

The funeral service for Mrs. Sholar, officiated by Myke Templeton, will be at 12:00 p.m. Wednesday in the chapel of Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory, where visitation will be from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday and after 10:00a.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in Owensboro Memorial Gardens.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Christian Student Fellowship at Western Kentucky University; 1654 Normal St. Bowling Green, KY 42101. Online condolences may be left at www.glennfuneralhome.com.