Phyllis Mae Bollan

Phyllis Bethel was born in Kingston Missouri on March 24, 1930. Her mother and father, Evelyn Warden and Jack Bethel moved their family to Montrose when Phyllis was a young girl. The Great Depression compelled many people to roam the wide-open spaces of America, and so it was the not only Jack, Evelyn, and little Phyllis were moving to Colorado but also the family of Fred and Eureka Bollan, which included Phyllis' future husband and love of her life, Harold Bollan.

Harold and Phyllis were married on April 3, 1947, in Montrose, Colorado. They had 4 children, Aleta Ann, Freddie Howard, Jackie Gale and Wesley Allen and were sealed as a family in the Morman Church at the Salt Lake City Temple in 1959.

Phyllis and Harold both attended college at the College of Southern Utah, now Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah. During that time Phyllis earned a bachelor's degree in speech and drama. Once they graduated, the couple moved to Fairbanks, AK where Phyllis used her teaching certificate. From Fairbanks they decided to move back to Grand Junction. In 1977 Phyllis and her son Wesley opened up the Velvet Hammer an auto body repair shop. Phyllis enjoyed "keeping the books" and listening to Wesley whistle tunes while he would work on cars.

Harold and Phyllis also became very well known for their contributions to the dinosaur world. They would go on digs out in Rabbit Valley and eventually travel to Grand Junction "sister city" Saltillo, Mexico. If Phyllis wasn't at the Velvet Hammer, you could often find her at the Dinamation in Fruita with a scribe in her hand prepping dinosaur bones.

The legacy of generosity and resilience of Phillis will live on in the hearts of everyone fortunate enough to have known her. We celebrate her life and the love she freely gave. Though we mourn her, we find comfort in knowing that her spirit remains. She will be deeply missed.

Phyllis is preceded in death by her husband of 73 years, Harold, her son, Freddie, and her grandsons Justin Peterson and James Bollan. She is survived by her children Aleta, Jackie and Wesley, her grandchildren, great grandchildren and also great-great-grandchildren.