Dr. John Earl Schoolar, age 93, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at his home in Louisville, Mississippi. Funeral services will be at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30, in the Nowell-Massey Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Lawrence Pool officiating. Visitation will be on the day of the service at the funeral home from 11 a.m. until service time. Interment will immediately follow the service in Perkinsville Cemetery.
John was born in Winston County, Mississippi, to Roger Hampton Schoolar and Ottie Cockrell Schoolar on May 22, 1930. He married Clara Lucille Huckaby on December 20, 1947, in Winston County. Clara passed away February 21, 2024. They are now united enjoying the presence of the God they served so faithfully.
In the late summer of 1946, John felt God’s call on his life to preach the Gospel. He preached his first sermon at Murphy Creek Baptist Church. His first church as a part-time pastor was at Crystal Ridge Baptist Church in October 1946. He pastored several churches in Mississippi. He then went into Home Missions and started several churches in Ohio before joining the Foreign Mission Board. His first overseas church was Koza Baptist Church in Okinawa, Japan. Later he and Clara continued their mission work in Namibia, Africa. They returned to Mississippi in 1979. He graduated from Bond High School, Mississippi College, New Orleans Seminary and Luther Rice Seminary receiving his TH. D. in 1967.
John is survived by his son, Roger Huckaby Schoolar and his wife, Judy, of Hamilton, Ohio; and his daughter, Johnnie Clair Moss of Moseley, Virginia. One of his greatest joys was his three grandchildren: John Brian (Carla) Schoolar, Lauren A. (Will) Showalter, and Madison J. Moss (Zane Chao), as well as his five great-grandchildren: Kayla Schoolar, Anna Schoolar, Melissa Schoolar, Kinsley J. Showalter and Tessa J. Showalter.
John was preceded in death by his parents and his two brothers, Roger Rudolph and Ray Schoolar.
Serving as pallbearers are Brian Schoolar, Greg Schoolar, Will Showalter, and Roger Schoolar.
Our family would like to express their appreciation to Dad’s caregivers: Bertha Haynes, Vera Hathorn, Roxie Loving, Mary Thompson, and all the previous caregivers over the past seven years. The family is very thankful to the people at Accent Hospice Care for loving and praying with Dad for the past 16 months.
