Obituary for Ralph R. Holscher
Obituary for Coach Ralph Holscher Coach Ralph R. Holscher, 87, of Vincennes, passed away February 28, 2014 at 6:45 AM at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville. He was born March 29, 1926 in Oaktown the son of Lawrence and Ethel Carie Holscher. The basketball career of Ralph Holscher, both as a high school player and coach, spanned a period of 49 years in Knox County, Indiana history. From the early days of World War II through the decades of the �40s, �50s, �60s, �70s and into the mid-1980�s, Coach Holscher�s life revolved around basketball - small town Indiana high school basketball:?�Hoosier Hysteria�. After high school graduation from Oaktown in 1945 was followed by a tour of duty with the United States Army. After discharge, he enrolled at Indiana State where he earned a B.S. degree and he played basketball at Indiana State University and was coached by John Wooden. After graduation he began his career in teaching and coaching starting at Oaktown in 1951-52. That began an uninterrupted run of thirty-four years as a varsity basketball coach at three Knox County high schools (Oaktown, Freelandville and Rivet), the final twenty-five of which were logged at the small Catholic institution in Vincennes, initially known as Central Catholic, but currently called Rivet High School. Coach Holscher coached 718 varsity basketball games during his career, winning 341 contests, not to mention the hundreds of other competitions he entered as mentor of several other sports. The trademark of his teams was tenacious defense, disciplined offense, and good sportsmanship. His classroom impact on the hundreds of students who passed through during his tenure was even more pronounced. All through his teaching/coaching career, he was unwavering in his commitment to basic truths: personal integrity, morality and religion. He taught that anything worthwhile is achieved only by virtue of these strengths augmented by hard word and dedication to the goal. In March, 2001, he was presented with the Sagamore on the Wabash Award for State of Indiana, Gov. Frank O�Bannon. He is survived by his wife, Linda Grover Holscher, Vincennes, and son, Bradlee Holscher, and his wife Stacey of Salt Lake City, Utah. Preceeding him in death were three brothers, Kenneth, Myron, Norbert in infancy and a sister Juanita Holscher Nierste. As the final chapter closes may his epitaph read: �Well done most noble and faithful servant, teacher and friend. Life is changed, not ended.� A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday March 5, 2014 at 10:00 AM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Fr. David Fleck officiating. He will be laid to rest in the Mt. Calvary Cemetery with military gravesite honors conducted by the All Weather Firing Squad. The family will receive friends Tuesday March 4, 2014 at the Duesterberg-Fredrick Funeral Home from 3 to 8 PM. Memorial contributions can be made in his memory to the Christian Education Foundation or the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
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