James Robert "Bob" Boling

Bob spent his early years in Murphy, NC and never lost his love for the mountains. After high school, Bob attended Gardner-Webb College, where he became a star player on the football team. In January 1954, Bob enlisted in the United States Army and proudly served his Country for 22 months during the Korean War as a Quarter Master Supply Handler (SP3). In his role as a Quarter Master Supply Handler, Bob was responsible for moving critical supplies to soldiers throughout the theater of war. His commendable service earned him the Korean Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the United Nations Service Medal. Bob received an honorable discharge from the Army on November 23, 1955, and returned home to surprise his mother for Thanksgiving. He later earned a degree in hotel management from Appalachian State University and had a lengthy career managing various hotels in Greenville, Columbia, and Lexington, SC.

Bob met Judy Miller in Charlotte, and they fell in love and married in 1956. Bob and Judy were proud parents of three daughters. Sadly, after only twelve years of marriage, Judy suddenly passed away at the young age of 33. Still, God is good, and later Bob met and married Jane, who became the love of his life.

Bob and Jane built a loving, nurturing home that was filled with joy and laughter for more than 50 years. During their life together, Bob and Jane lived in various places across North and South Carolina, and Louisiana, each special in their own right, but their favorites were Green Acres Circle in Redbank and Green River Cove Road in Saluda, NC.

Bob’s life was marked by his unwavering love and dedication to his family and friends, his strong faith, commendable work ethic, sense of humor, and immense generosity. Throughout his life, it was evident that the most important things to Bob were family, friends, and God. Bob was deeply passionate about his faith and enjoyed volunteering at Church. He devoted many hours to studying and writing about the Bible. His favorite things to do were spending time with family and friends and making people laugh. He was quite the prankster. Additionally, Bob was an avid hunter and treasured his time at the hunt club with his buddies, Rusty, Tommy, Butch, and Rick. In later years, Bob became an enthusiastic fly fisherman and often reminisced about fly fishing on the Green River. Essentially, Bob loved doing anything outdoors in all kinds of weather. He was also a dedicated sports enthusiast, and anyone who knew Bob, knew his favorite sports were football (go Clemson and Panthers!) and baseball (go Braves!).

A devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, great-grandfather, and friend, Bob is survived by his daughters, Libby Corbett and Vicki (Rick) Burn; his son-in-law, Mike Culley; his grandchildren, Katie Corbett, Jason Culley, Lindsey (David) Yarborough, Melissa (Abdul) Atayee, and Katy Burn; his precious great-grandchildren, Maddie Wentzel, Vann Culley, Riley Jane Yarborough, another Yarborough granddaughter on the way, Aidan Atayee and Mila Atayee; his nephew Bryant (Brenda) Kinney (and their children and grandchildren), and several other special extended family members and friends.

Bob’s enduring legacy of love, kindness, and support will continue to guide us. We are profoundly grateful for the time we shared with him and the wisdom he imparted. Bob was admired by all who knew him for his love, faith, strength, and compassion. He will be greatly missed but never forgotten. Thank you for being our guiding light and our eternal inspiration.

A service to celebrate Bob’s life will be on March 8, 2025, at 11:00 am at Round Hill Baptist Church, 230 Persimmon Lane, Lexington, SC 29072. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Round Hill Baptist Church or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.