Edwin Surber Bolen Jr.

Four days past his 85th birthday, this old sailor reached the shores of heaven. Edwin Surber Bolen, Jr. was born April 19, 1933, in Richmond, VA. He was the son of Edwin Surber Bolen, Sr. and Carolyn Stith Bolen Eubank. Edwin is survived by his wife of 58 years, Loretta Snell Bolen, and daughters Leigh Ann and Michele, as well as many nephews and nieces. He was pre-deceased by his sisters, Margaret Bolen Gillespie, Elizabeth Bolen Thomas, and Alice Bolen Eubank. After graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School in Richmond, Edwin attended Virginia Tech. He then enlisted in the US Navy in 1952, serving aboard the USS Fort Mandan and the USS Ashland. As an Electronic Technician, he traveled everywhere from Istanbul, to Greenland, to Guantanamo Bay. The highlight of his naval tour was attending the 1954 Christmas Eve service at the American Cathedral in Paris. Ed joined the Communications Products Department at General Electric in January 1959. He married Loretta in Richmond, August 15, 1959. Ed was a long-standing member of Memorial Christian Church in Lynchburg, where he served as Deacon, Chairman of the Personnel Committee, Chairman of the Trustees, Sound Operator, and finally, Deacon Emeritus. He was a devoted husband and father, enthusiastically involved in his daughters’ various school and sports activities, wearing as many hats as you can imagine: “band dad,” photographer, carpool driver, swim team starter, field trip chaperone, and all-around mega fan. Ed was the quintessential handy husband who could fix, draft, or build anything, including the family’s favorite all-seasons porch. After his retirement from GE, Ed enjoyed attending the USS Ashland’s annual veterans’ reunions, and served as president of the organization in 2002. He was a dedicated driver for Meals on Wheels, and also a proud member of the Lynchburg Exchange Club, where he oversaw the installation of the club’s Freedom Shrines for many years. His most memorable dedication was at Mountain View Elementary School in Rockbridge County, on September 12, 2001, the day after the Trade Center attacks. His friends may remember him most for being the first to arrive, and the last to leave the Pancake Jamboree. A funeral service will be conducted 11 am, Saturday, April 28, 2018, at Whitten Timberlake Chapel with his cousin, Reverend Hewlitt Stith officiating. Interment is private. The family will receive friends 5-7 pm, Friday, April 27, 2018, at Whitten Timberlake Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Meals on Wheels, or the Exchange Club of Lynchburg. Whitten Timberlake Chapel is serving the family, (434) 239-0331.