William Paul Bolton, known to his family and friends as Paul, passed peacefully in his home on Friday, December 20, 2019 at the age of 96. His long, full, and successful life began on November 10, 1923 in Oklahoma City, as the son of Stoakley and Audrey Bolton. His life took a new turn after he moved to Meridian, Texas to live at his grandmother’s, where in 1941 he began riding his bike fifteen miles to court his future wife, known then as Jane Lomax. That devotion to his wife and family never changed. After five years of courting and serving in Europe as a soldier in the 101st infantry of the third army during WWII, Paul and Jane married in 1946. They recently celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary.
After marrying and moving back to Oklahoma City, he worked at his father’s company, SEB Paint Factory. In 1949, they built Bolton’s Hardware Store of which he was owner-operator. Four years later, he built the home where he and Jane raised their family. After his retirement in 1983, he enjoyed fishing with his wife and their friends at Lake Texhoma. When he was not fishing, he stayed active working his small cattle ranch near his Forest Park home until he was in his mid-80s.
Paul is preceded in passing by his sister Barbara Bolton and his son-in-law Timothy O’Brien. He is survived by his wife, Jane, and their three children: Nancy and husband Randy Miller of Paris, TX; Kathy O’Brien of Edmond, OK; and Steve and wife Sharon Bolton of Jones, OK. He is additionally survived by his grandchildren; Megan Mills, Maranda Creamer, Samantha Bolton, and Stephanie Bolton and his great-grandchildren; Emmerson Mills and Kilian Creamer. His family, extended family, in-laws, and friends will miss the patience, kindness, and sense of humor with which he lived his life and which he extended to everyone he met.
Services to celebrate his life will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, December 27th, 2019, at Arlington Memory Gardens Mausoleum, 3400 N Midwest Blvd, Oklahoma City, with interment to follow.
