Rudy Lee Medlock

Rudy Lee Medlock was promoted to heaven on Sunday March 30, 2025. He was born in New Albany, Indiana, grew up in Bedford, Indiana, and invested 52 years of his life in Wilmore, Kentucky, most of which as a professor of art at Asbury University.

His life is celebrated by his wife of 56 years, Patricia Ann Medlock, (neé Brodbeck), and his three children, Paige Medlock, Mia White, (neé Medlock) and her husband Philip White, and Gentry Medlock and his wife Lycia Medlock, along with his grandchildren, Lexiey, David, and Luke. He is preceded in death by his parents Ott and Lenora Medlock, and survived by his twin sister Judy Marie Davidson (neé Medlock) and their brother Steve Medlock.

Professor Medlock was an esteemed and well-loved instructor and advisor in visual art, and although he taught all mediums his areas of concentration were ceramics, stone sculpture, and stained glass. He was the art department chair most of his nearly 40 years at Asbury. His artwork is installed in three countries from Scotland to the Dominican Republic, with a majority in Central Kentucky. Following his MFA from Indiana University, he began teaching at Asbury University in 1971 until his retirement as an honored professor emeritus in 2009. He led countless student art trips to major museums in the US and visited museums, galleries, and studios around the world. During a sabbatical he carved marble in Italy and built his log studio at his home in KY; he traveled the world for art as well as mission work with his wife and family. He and his wife own The Potter’s Inn in Wilmore and have invested in the people and places of their local community, while their impact reaches worldwide.

Born during WWII while his father was serving in the US Navy, Rudy became a Christian at a young age and remained vibrant in his spiritual formation for 75 years. He saw visual art as a means of co-creation with a creative and loving God and was active as an artist until the day he passed away in his art studio. His artwork was a visual theology that pursued and revealed themes of the resurrection, second coming, and celebration. His stone sculpture will be visible in the Wilmore Cemetery where he was recently laid to rest in a private family burial. His life will be celebrated in a memorial service on Saturday May 10 at 1pm in Wilmore at the Great Commission Fellowship sanctuary at the Wilmore United Methodist Church, with his recent works exhibited at CREO gallery downtown Wilmore.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages you to contribute to the Medlock Memorial Art Scholarship, at www.asbury.edu/give-online or by mail to Asbury University, 1 Macklem Drive, Wilmore, Ky 40390.

Betts & West is honored to serve Rudy and his family in their time of need. An online guestbook is available at www.BettsAndWestFuneralHome.com