Horseman and rancher Donald Darwin “Polly” Hollar, 72, died on April 18 at Trinity Medical Center in Brenham, Texas.
Hollar was born in Guthrie, Texas to E. W. (Dub) and Vera Dove Flippin Hollar on September 8, 1936 and was baptized in the South Wichita River in Guthrie. He received a bachelor degree in animal husbandry from Texas Tech University in 1959, having served as the Texas Tech Masked Rider from 1957 through 1959.
A longtime member of the National Cutting Horse Association, the American Quarter Horse Association, and founder and first president of the Bluebonnet Cutting Horse Association, Hollar won the title of AQHA Senior Cutting World Champion in 1994.
Survivors include his children, Mike Hollar and Tami Sayko, of Brenham; Mark Hollar of Katy, Texas; Julie Hollar Carr and David Carr, of Brenham; granddaughter and Kelsey Sayko; as well as his partner in life, Lannie Mecom; Sally Hollar, the mother of his children; brothers Douglas Hollar of Muldoon, Texas, and Wesley Hollar and his wife Faye of Seymour, Texas; sisters and brothers-in-law Gloria Belle and Allan Morton and Gail and James Gilmore, all of Athens, Texas.
Other surviving relatives are Cutter and Betsy Jones, Blake Jones and Ashley Ribbon Jones, Steve and Nancy Martin, and Bobby and Erin Moses. He was preceded in death by his parents, and by his brothers Luther Ray Hollar, Carlton Hollar, Billy Joe Hollar, and Jimmy Keith Hollar.
A funeral service will be held Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church with Pastor Gary Oliver and Joe Howard Williamson officiating. Burial will follow in Prairie Lea Cemetery. Visitation will take place Tuesday evening, April 21 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Memorial Oaks Chapel.
Serving as pallbearers are Cutter Jones, Bobby Moses, Bernie Kirkland, Jon White, Richard Sims, Steve Martin, Pete Branch and Ken Flippin. Honorary pallbearers are Bud Smith, Paul Kenjura, Mike East, Johnny East, Bill Masterson, Mark Lavender, Tooter Waites, George Chappell, Keith Slover, Billy Klapper, and Bobby Glover.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Washington County Boys and Girls Club or to the charity of choice.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 West Main, Brenham. To view the obitutary online or to post a tribute to the family, visit www.memorialoakschapel.com.