David Bolen

David Wayne Bolen passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.

Dave was born on Dec. 15, 1960 to Wayne and Helen (Rolf) Bolen in Wichita. The family moved back to Le Roy after residing in Wichita for one year.

As a youth he developed a love for farming, fishing, and hunting from his dad and grandpa Bolen, which he continued to enjoy throughout his life.

Dave was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church of Aliceville.  He attended Le Roy schools and graduated in 1979. During his school years he made many lifelong friends and had fond memories of playing sports, especially football. In Dave’s senior year, he and a few classmates had work study jobs at Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant in Burlington.

After graduation, Dave traveled to many states custom harvesting with Sutherland Harvesting crew and the Uthoff Harvesting crew. He went on to work at the Le Roy Co-op and was trained to be a Big Wheels fertilizer operator which later led him to a move to St. Francis to run the Big Wheels program there.

He and his wife resided in St. Francis until the late 1980s and then moved to Iola. There Dave worked at Midland Brake, then with Ron Blanton, owner of The Grease Man Inc. During this time, he furthered his education and received a bachelor’s degree from Pittsburg State University and remarried.

He later became a Farm Bureau Insurance Agent in Mound City while living with his family in La Cygne. For a short time, he drove for Swift Trucking and moved back to Le Roy to work for Mid-American Machine as their logistics manager until his passing.

His interests and hobbies included trap shooting and hunting, gardening and land management, motorcycling, being a part of the Free Masons, wood milling, grilling, and being outdoors.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his sisters Dara Carmichael (Hoagie) of St. Francis, Carolyn Brown (Lyle) of Yates Center; niece Cassandra Braswell (Jason); nephews Joseph Brown (Ashley), and Lucas Carmichael (Jordan); great-nephew Salem Braswell; extended stepchildren Jessica, Rustin, Kaleb, Sarah and her son Ryker; several aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives, and friends.

He always had a joke ready for any conversation and enjoyed storytelling. He will be loved and missed by his family and friends.

Funeral services were at 1:30 p.m. Monday, March 18, at Jones Funeral Home in Burlington. Burial was at St. John Cemetery, Aliceville.

Memorial contributions may be made to the SCC Trap Team at Southern Coffey County High School and sent in care of Jones Funeral Home, P.O. Box 277, Burlington, KS 66839.