Rev. Harold L. Sharber, 96, of Bowling Green, passed away on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Signature Healthcare of Bowling Green. The Hopkins County, KY native, was the son of the late Rosa Lile Sharber and Andrew O. Sharber. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife, Mayron Claypool Sharber; and five sisters, Lola Stewart, Aileen Harris, Ruth Elkins, Fay Oglesby, and Betty Clark.

Rev. Sharber was a graduate of Western Kentucky Teachers College (WKU) and Emory University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in divinity studies. Rev. Sharber answered the call to preach while a junior in high school in 1948. In the fall of 1949, during senior year of high school he was asked to fill the pulpit for several months at a small church in Crofton, KY for a pastor who became very ill. He was licensed to preach in the spring of 1951. Shortly after entering college, he was appointed by the former Louisville Conference to the Woodburn Circuit in Warren County. Green Hill Methodist Church was one of the six churches and where he would then meet and marry his future wife, Mayron Claypool on June 1, 1951.

He served as a member and Board Chairman for The Lions Club Audubon Area Council, and additionally he spent eight years as Board Chairman for both the Louisville Conference Board of Pensions and the Methodist Homes of Kentucky. Shortly after retirement he was appointed to Rays Branch on the Bowling Green Circuit for the second time, where he served 2 ½ years. Then he was appointed to Lewisburg in 2003 for a second time as well, where he served another 2 years. Rev. Sharber then served short periods of time in several other churches since his retirement. He has continued to fill in for pastors when and wherever he was needed.

Funeral services are scheduled for Friday, October 30 12:00 p.m. at Johnson Vaughn Phelps Funeral Home with burial to follow at Fairview Cemetery. Visitation will be on Thursday, October 29 from 4:00 to 8:00 pm at Johnson Vaughn Phelps Funeral Home. Additional visitation on Friday, October 30 from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.

He is survived by three sons, Lewis Sharber (Kitty), Keith Sharber (Vickie), and Terrill Sharber (Jennifer); nine grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; and a brother, Robert E. Sharber (Gail).

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to The Kentucky United Methodist Children's Home, 1115 Ashgrove Road, Nicholasville, KY 40356.