James Sholar

With a life that spanned times of great change in the world around him, James Sholar fully embraced every day he was given. Although he accomplished so much of which to be proud, there was no greater joy in his life than becoming a husband, father, and grandfather. James saw so many of the most amazing places, but what made these experiences so meaningful was sharing them with the ones he loved. Life will never be the same without him here, but he leaves behind a timeless legacy that his loved ones will proudly carry on in his footsteps.

It seems only fitting that James was born during a time that was as vibrant as he was. This was the decade when televisions became part of the average American family home, and with shows like I Love Lucy and Father Knows Best we had our first inside peek at what family life could look like. Marilyn Monroe and James Dean became household names, and Elvis Presley took the music world by storm. Amidst this eventful time, Hershel Kiedell and Annie B. Wilkinson Sholar were pleased to announce the birth of the baby boy they named James Glenn on March 29, 1954, at Holy Cross Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. His father was a painter and superintendent while his mother was a switchboard operator.

The oldest of four, James and his siblings, Robert, Gary, and Sheri, experienced a fairly typical upbringing. He was very naturally intelligent as he skipped kindergarten and went right to first grade. Always a bustle of activity, James was an active Cub Scout and Boy Scout who was patrol leader for a time. James was also a talented athlete who played all the competitive sports including football, baseball, and basketball, and he also ran track. Later on, James ran a 10k with his wife Linda’s brothers.

After graduating from high school in 1972, James was eager for all that life had in store. He attended Lawrence Technological University for two years and then spent several years working for Ford Motor Company. Over the years James did many things there, working in the plants in design engineering of large mechanical systems, filtration systems, piping systems, paint booths, plant layout, and senior estimator on jobs, which even took him to Germany for work. Later on, he started his own company,

Although he took great pride in his work, there was never anything that was more important to James than his family. New and exciting changes were in store for him when he met the love of his life while dancing at one of their favorite places, the Keweenaw Bar. Her name was Linda, and it didn’t take them long to fall deeply in love. With the desire to spend the rest of their lives together James and Linda were married in a beautiful church ceremony. Together they welcomed two children, Jacinta Lynn and James Edward, into their hearts and home. James was a deeply devoted father, and he was an important part of his children’s lives. For years they frequently camped together, which is when they made some of their favorite memories.

Throughout his life James was one to keep busy. He loved hosting Christmas parties at their home, and they were something that everyone always enjoyed. In addition to time spent camping closer to home, James enjoyed traveling to places like Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Ohio, and Omaha, Nebraska. He was a genuine outdoorsman who loved boating, gardening, and fishing, yet he also loved being at home in the kitchen cooking and creating new recipes. In fact, James even won the chili cook-off in Plymouth, Michigan! He was a gifted artist who liked drawing cartoons and also created a family genealogy book and collected coins. From the time he was young, James also enjoyed sports. When relaxing, his favorite show was the Big Bang Theory, and as his family and friends can attest he loved saying, “totally unbelievable,” anytime he could.

All who knew James Sholar would agree that there was no one quite like him. He knew what it meant to work hard, but he took the time to enjoy life along the way. James faced whatever came his way head on, and there was no greater joy in his life than being surrounded by his family and friends. Deeply loved, he will be forever missed.

James Glenn Sholar, age 64, passed away November 29, 2018. Beloved husband of Linda, cherished father of Jacinta Lynn French and James Edward (Sabrina Mazur). Loving grandfather of Kaylee, Persephone, Emma Marie, Evan James and Brandon Ronald. Dearest brother of Gary (Karen), Sheri (John) Smith and the late Robert. Adored Uncle of many nieces and nephews. A visitation will be held on Saturday, December 8, from 1-3 pm, followed by a funeral service 3 pm at Neely-Turowski Funeral Home, 30200 Five Mile Road, Livonia.