Rex A Polk

If you ever heard a drumbeat echo down Mineola Drive, chances are Rex Polk was nearby, keeping the rhythm of life just a little more interesting.

Rex Alan Polk lived a life that could never be contained by four walls—or even four wheels. A drummer since his Parker High School days (where he wasn't just good—he was a state champion), Rex marched to the beat of his own, exceptionally played, drum. He later attended North Greenville College, but his education didn't stop in the classroom. Rex learned just as much from rivers, roads, jam sessions, and sawdust as he did from textbooks.

A true Renaissance man in biker boots, Rex was a musician, carpenter, landscaper, kayaker, diver, and nature lover. He could build you cabinets, teach your kid to play bass, and then lead you kayaking down the Waccamaw.

He loved jamming with anyone and everyone—especially his great-nephews and great-niece, whom he mentored with patience, joy, and the occasional counting in even when he wasn’t on the drums. He believed music should be shared, not stored. And while he played many instruments, and in many bands, his favorite song was always the one played in the moment, with people he loved.

When he wasn’t strumming, drumming, shooting, or paddling, Rex was often found cruising the curves of the Smoky Mountains on his Harley.

Rex is remembered best by his many friends as a faithful, generous soul who showed up, stood by, and gave more than he took. He was the guy who’d help you move, build a table, or fix a flat tire—sometimes all in the same day. Above all, Rex trusted in the Lord and looked to Him for peace after his cancer diagnosis.

He is survived by his sisters Angie Polk Riddle and Karen Polk, nieces Julie, Heather, and Jaime; nephew Paul; and by the next generation who adored their "Gruncle Rex": great-niece Allie Belle and great-nephews James, Nolan, Joshua, and Levi.

Rex’s life was a beautiful song—full of rhythm, soul, and improvisation. And though the final note has played, the melody lingers on in the lives he touched.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday October 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Lakeside Baptist Church. 615 11th Ave N. North Myrtle Beach, SC 2958.