Lyle Dunbar Obituary
Visit the Hughart, Beard & Giles Funeral Home website to view the full obituary.
Lyle Emerson Dunbar, beloved, award-winning coach died peacefully at his Hopkinsville home Thursday, October 16, 2025. He was ninety years old.
Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at Second Baptist Church, where he was a member, with Rev. David Tucker officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West. Visitation will be Monday, October 20, 2025 from 4:30 – 8:00 p.m. at Hughart, Beard & Giles Funeral Home.
Born on March 24, 1935, the son of the late Verta Lela Long and Samuel Elias Dunbar. He was one of seven children reared in Barren County, Kentucky.
Lyle played high school basketball at Temple Hill High School in Barren County. After serving in the United States Army, that took him to Germany, he entered Kentucky Wesleyan College, playing basketball for four years and graduating in 1961.
He then began his career as a teacher of health & physical education, a guidance counselor, and a basketball coach. His career in coaching started in Fordsville in 1961. After coaching at West Hopkins High, Scottsville, and Maysville, he landed on the hardwood of Christian County High School where he spent the majority of his successful career. During his leadership of the Colonels from 1975 – 1994, his teams won 386 games, 12 district championships, six regional titles, and appeared in the sweet sixteen championship game twice in 1976 and 1979.
His long list of awards include: Dawhares KHSAA Hall of Fame 1998, Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches Court of Honor 2003, Christian County High School Athletic Hall of Fame 2005, Kentucky Basketball Developmental League Coach of the Year 2006, Glasgow Barren County High School Hall of Fame 2009, and KHSAA Basketball Hall of Fame 2023. In addition to all of these accomplishments the Christian County High School Gymnasium was renamed the Lyle Dunbar Gym in 2013.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers: Joe, Carl, and Paul Dunbar; and the mother of his children: Betty Geralds Dunbar.
Survivors include his wife of 42 years: Nora Helvey Hayslip Dunbar; his daughters: Theresa (Terry) Ogles of Christian County, Vickie (Orene "Butch") Clark of Clarksville, TN, Shelia (Jeff "Bubba") Colon of Hilton Head Island, SC, Gwen (Don) Cox of Myrtle Beach, SC; his step daughter: Lisa Hayslip Gerard of Burbank, CA; his stepson: Charles (Coletta) Hayslip of Cadiz, KY; his sisters: Arlene (Cecil) Bertram of Owensboro, KY and Ruth Ann (Walter) Clark of Leavenworth, Kansas; and his brother: Ralph Dunbar of Temple Hill, KY; 14 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren; another great grandchild arriving in November; and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers the family ask that expressions of sympathy be made to the Children and Youth Departments of Second Baptist Church or the giver's favorite charity.
The family would like to express their sincere appreciation for the care provided by Daisy Cheatham, Barbara Muller, Kenia Taylor, Donna Wadlington, and Natalia Cheatham.
Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at Second Baptist Church, where he was a member, with Rev. David Tucker officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West. Visitation will be Monday, October 20, 2025 from 4:30 – 8:00 p.m. at Hughart, Beard & Giles Funeral Home.
Born on March 24, 1935, the son of the late Verta Lela Long and Samuel Elias Dunbar. He was one of seven children reared in Barren County, Kentucky.
Lyle played high school basketball at Temple Hill High School in Barren County. After serving in the United States Army, that took him to Germany, he entered Kentucky Wesleyan College, playing basketball for four years and graduating in 1961.
He then began his career as a teacher of health & physical education, a guidance counselor, and a basketball coach. His career in coaching started in Fordsville in 1961. After coaching at West Hopkins High, Scottsville, and Maysville, he landed on the hardwood of Christian County High School where he spent the majority of his successful career. During his leadership of the Colonels from 1975 – 1994, his teams won 386 games, 12 district championships, six regional titles, and appeared in the sweet sixteen championship game twice in 1976 and 1979.
His long list of awards include: Dawhares KHSAA Hall of Fame 1998, Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches Court of Honor 2003, Christian County High School Athletic Hall of Fame 2005, Kentucky Basketball Developmental League Coach of the Year 2006, Glasgow Barren County High School Hall of Fame 2009, and KHSAA Basketball Hall of Fame 2023. In addition to all of these accomplishments the Christian County High School Gymnasium was renamed the Lyle Dunbar Gym in 2013.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers: Joe, Carl, and Paul Dunbar; and the mother of his children: Betty Geralds Dunbar.
Survivors include his wife of 42 years: Nora Helvey Hayslip Dunbar; his daughters: Theresa (Terry) Ogles of Christian County, Vickie (Orene "Butch") Clark of Clarksville, TN, Shelia (Jeff "Bubba") Colon of Hilton Head Island, SC, Gwen (Don) Cox of Myrtle Beach, SC; his step daughter: Lisa Hayslip Gerard of Burbank, CA; his stepson: Charles (Coletta) Hayslip of Cadiz, KY; his sisters: Arlene (Cecil) Bertram of Owensboro, KY and Ruth Ann (Walter) Clark of Leavenworth, Kansas; and his brother: Ralph Dunbar of Temple Hill, KY; 14 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren; another great grandchild arriving in November; and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers the family ask that expressions of sympathy be made to the Children and Youth Departments of Second Baptist Church or the giver's favorite charity.
The family would like to express their sincere appreciation for the care provided by Daisy Cheatham, Barbara Muller, Kenia Taylor, Donna Wadlington, and Natalia Cheatham.
Hughart, Beard & Giles Funeral Home
2504 South Virginia Street, Hopkinsville, KY 42240
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