Oscar Hornsby

Oscar Hornsby, Jr. passed away on Wednesday, November 23, 2016, at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital in Somerset, KY after a brief illness. He was preceded by his wife of 57 years, Mary Jane Meece Hornsby. She preceded him in death in 2012.

Oscar is survived by two children, Jill Steder (Glenn) and Cindy Short (Mark), both of Lexington, KY; two sisters, Eunice Hensley, of Lexington, KY and Mary Rose Burns, of Clay County, KY; five grandchildren, Eleanor Steder, Phillip Steder, Sarah Stoner (Steve), Amy Wise and Rebecca Wise; and two great grandchildren, Nicholas Stoner and Lucas Stoner.

Oscar was born on April 2, 1931 in Clay County, KY. He graduated from high school at Oneida Baptist Institute in Oneida, KY and attended Sue Bennett College in London, KY. After college, Oscar served in the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged. In 1996, Oscar was awarded a Doctor of Administration Degree from the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, KY.

Throughout his life, Oscar enjoyed success in various business ventures. From 1953 to 1965, Oscar was employed in sales by a wholesale hardware firm located in Louisville, Ky. In 1966, he established Oscar Hornsby Oil Company, a wholesale distributor of Chevron, BP, and Marathon petroleum products. His company served several wholesale customers and 85 retail locations, including 28 company owned and operated convenience stores. Oscar sold the business in 2000. In 1968, Oscar established the Hornsby & Holt Chevrolet-Nissan car dealership in Somerset, KY. The business was sold in 1978. In 1983, Oscar established Statewide Transport Corporation, a common carrier trucking company that hauled petroleum products throughout the region. Oscar closed the business and finally retired in 2009.

Oscar was a charter member of the Grace Baptist Church in Somerset, KY. He was also a member of the Foundation Board of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY and served for many years as a trustee of the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, KY.

Oscar held memberships in the Somerset Rotary Club and the Somerset-Pulaski County Industrial Foundation. He was also a past president of the Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce and a past president of the Kentucky Petroleum Marketers Association.

In addition to his business ventures and church related activities, Oscar was very involved in politics. He was a member of the U.S. Senate Small Business Advisory Committee during the administration of President Jimmy Carter and was the treasurer of the Kentucky Democratic Party during the administration of Governor John Y. Brown. For several years, he was a member of the Kentucky Democratic Party Central Executive Committee and served as chairman of the Pulaski County, Ky Democratic Party.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 - 8:00 PM on Tuesday, November 29th, and from 10:00 - 11:00 AM on Wednesday, November 30th, at Grace Baptist Church located at 340 Oak Leaf Lane in Somerset, KY. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 AM with Rev. Bill Haynes officiating. Burial will be in the Lakeside Memorial Gardens.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, Expressions of Sympathy take the form of donations to Grace Baptist Church, 340 Oak Leaf Lane, Somerset, KY 42503.

Pulaski Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.