Virginia "Joann" Bolger

age77, passed away on February 10th, 2014, in St. Augustine, Florida, surrounded by her family. Joann was born September 1, 1936, in Hamtramck, Michigan, the second of three daughters of Angelo and Victoria (Scalise) Tonin.

A graduate of Nativity High School, Joann went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Detroit and was a member of Kappa Beta Gamma sorority.

While Joann was at U of D she met Don Bolger, the love of her life. They were married on August 16th, 1958, the first day of the almost 56 years they spent together. Joann and Don raised five children-- Jan, Lisa, Michael, Kathy and Stephanie--in Detroit, Saginaw, Farmington, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and finally in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

Joann was born to a loving family, and patterned her own family after the one in which she was raised. Like her own mother, Joann celebrated the lives of those she loved with feasts, gatherings, and much happiness. There was always an extra place at the table, and the gatherings grew larger every year.

Joann cared for her family and friends through delicious cooking and baking from scratch, sewing and quilting. She was the heart of the Bolger family with a true love for life; her family and especially her grandchildren. She was a member of the Oakland County Quilt Guild and Gracie’s Girls; she also loved to read, dance and play tennis.

Large gatherings, beautiful tables, and delicious meals were among Joann’s hallmarks, passed on to her children when they married and had their own families. It was a custom at gatherings that people had to start saying their goodbyes half an hour before they planned to leave, because it took that long to hug their way from one end of the house to the other.

Joann was a devoted spouse, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend. She is survived by her husband Don; her children Jan Clinthorne (Jerry), Lisa Robinson (Tom), Michael Bolger (Athena), Kathy Cassar (Joe) and Stephanie Theut (Matt); grandchildren Shelby, Lindsey, Victoria, Audrey, Alexander, Evan, Ian, Sydney, Bryan, Sophia, Logan, Noah, Cole, Addison and Wilson; and her sister Theresa Panella. She was predeceased by her sister, Mary Lou Tonin and Margarret (Tonin) Davis.

Joann had a gentle, loving sense of humor and a twinkle in her eyes that made you want to spend more time with her and learn more about her. When a family friend heard of her passing, he said, “Your mother was one of the warmest people I ever had the good fortune to meet. She was always extremely kind to me and made me feel like I was part of her family. And that was a good feeling. We’re all going to have to be much, much better people in this world if we hope to make up for her absence.”

Memorial contributions would be greatly appreciated to St. John Fisher University Chapel. 3665 E. Walton Blvd., Auburn Hills, Michigan 48326.