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The family of Wilbur J. Bolender uploaded a photo
Friday, June 1, 2018
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Rick Rose posted a condolence
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
I came to know Bill as a father. He was a father to be revered. He was always friendly, always fair, always firm. When he called out for his sons to come inside, they moved instinctively without hesitation. When Bill decided something was going to happen. It happened. You could count on it.
It’s been over 40 years since I met Mr. Bolender. In these days of uncertainty in relationships, the Bolender's were ones you could count on to stay together. There was a sense of security just being in their home.
I expected Bill to live into his late 90’s at least. I couldn’t imagine anything stopping Bill Bolender. At an age when most men were struggling getting around a golf course or spending their days relaxing and watching TV, Bill was moving 800 pound rails around alone as he put together his boat ramp.
Bill Bolender is probably the reason I don’t have lower back pain. I remember picking up and moving some large rocks one day. Afterwards, Bill had a talk with me. He said something to the effect, “Rick, I don’t give much advice. My dad had once told me that a guy gets only so many lifts.” Well, that hit home with me and I just never pushed it after that. I thanked him more than once over the years for his advice. He confessed that he would have done well following it better himself.
Years later, the love of his life drew near to death. Bill called on the only one I know of greater than himself, the God of the Universe. God listened to his heart’s desire. Letha was brought back from the edge of this world to join him again. As he watched her suffer, he struggled with his request. Day by day, she improved. All along, he cared for her tenderly and carefully. It was as if he held her life in his hands as he meticulously monitored her medication. His love and his resolve provided all of us with a worldly example of the perfect love of God.
Bill always knew that I was a Christian. Over 20 years ago, I had bought them a Bible. God was seldom part of our discussions. I let him know I was praying for Letha. He told me the story of God’s miraculous intervention in her life. Other than that, our discussions had to do with gardening, boating, anchors, and occasionally our view of life.
In recent years, I would stop by the house. Most of the time, I would be invited in and we would visit for a while. It was so nice to see Letha doing so well. One day last year, Bill mentioned that David had talked to him about God. Bill asked me a multitude of questions about my beliefs. He shared his story of church involvement and also shared of his frustration with people in those settings. I shared that I would have had similar frustrations. Our over two hour discussion moved on to what God was all about, why He had put us here, and what the Bible said it took to get into Heaven. His questions kept coming, and I shared the best I could from my knowledge of the Bible. I shared that I believed that the Bible taught that Jesus provides the forgiveness for our wrongdoings and the pathway to his Father God. I left that night with Bill pondering what God expected out of him. I felt privileged and awed that Bill Bolender had asked me for my thoughts.
I haven’t been to the canal since Bill died. Thinking of being there without him brings tears to my eyes. He was a great man, a pioneer, a father to my friends, a friend to my father; he was my friend and I’ll miss him dearly. The world just isn’t the same without Bill Bolender. We’ve been left a big hole to fill. It’s what Bill in his own quiet unassuming way would have wanted, for his friends and family to walk in integrity and love and to seek the very reason for existence.
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