Darrel Robert Loar

Darrel was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather whose life was defined by his deep faith, quiet wisdom, and genuine kindness. He was preceded in death by his son, Robert “Mark” Loar; siblings Winona Downhour, Georgia Purdy, and Deane Loar; and his parents.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 53 years, Sandra Loar, and his former wife, Ruth Ann Loar. He is also survived by his sons, Mike (Janna) Loar and Tim (Brenda) Loar; grandchildren Brittany (Sean) Saffell, Jackie (Nick) Wiedenhoft, Brooke Lucas, Carly (John) Mitchell, and Mackenzie (Brian) Ogrin; and seven great-grandchildren, with an eighth on the way.

Darrel served many churches in the West Ohio Conference as a United Methodist pastor. He began his ministry in 1950 as a circuit rider pastor serving two congregations in southern Ohio. He retired in 1991 after serving a total of ten churches during his 41 years in the ministry.

As a man of faith, Darrel’s love for the Bible and thoughtful religious discussions were central to his life. He was one of those rare individuals who truly listened more than he spoke, with a remarkable gift for remembering names and making everyone he met feel seen and valued. He was ornery and had a sharp sense of humor. He had a love for a good prank, and could have written the book on joke-telling. Above all, he found awe and peace in the beauty of nature, seeing in it the handiwork of his Creator.

Spending time in fellowship with family and friends was one of Darrel’s favorite pastimes. He also had a lifelong passion for athletics, a love he passed on to his children. He coached each of his three sons in Little League Baseball and spent countless hours practicing with them. He played softball for many years (“retiring” at age 75), enjoyed watching the Reds and Buckeyes, and loved to play golf; amazingly carding four holes-in-one. He was an avid stamp collector. In addition, he enjoyed ping pong, shuffleboard, and billiards, as well as card games and board games. Darrel even invented a board game called “Election” that the family often played together. A fan of Perry Mason, he also loved to read mysteries, especially those written by Agatha Christie and P.D. James.

Visitation will be held on Friday, May 16 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Riverside Global Methodist Church, 2701 Zollinger Road, Columbus, OH 43221. A service celebrating Darrel’s life will follow at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a church of your choosing.