James Alan Bolt

James Alan Bolt was born February 1st 1944 in Oroville, CA.His parents Theodore Ralph Bolt and Alice May Lewis Bolt welcomed him the last of their 5 children. His parents, hisbrother Ralph, and 2 sisters Donna and Judy preceded him in death. One sister, Bonnie Burns is still living and resides in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

His childhood was spent living in a small home across the street from the grade school where Ralph and Alice worked as janitors. His older sisters loved playing with him and liked todress him up as “baby Martha” using their own baby clothes.

Jim spent his summers with friends swimming in the Feather River a short walking/biking distance from home. The waters were wild and really quite dangerous in places so a lifeguard was always on duty.

When he was only 9 years old, his mother passed away leaving him and his 61-year-old father alone. That was hard for both of them, but they managed together.

Then, when Jim was 14 his dad asked his son’s permission to remarry. His new step-mother was Hallie Armacost who had been Alice’s best friend from the time they had lived in Camp Dennison, Ohio. They both ended up in California and Jim remembers visiting Hallie at her nearby farm when his mother was still living.

At the age of 15, they moved from Oroville to Chandler Arizona. The first summer there he got a job picking honeydew melons. He recalls the heat, the taste of warm honeydews and trading his lunch sandwiches for burritos with the fellows he worked with. He also became friends with Niles Dutson, both of them biking through early morning paper routes and later double dating the local Chandler girls.

When he was 16 years old, he was invited by some LDS friends to join their ward softball team. He did this even though it was required that team members had to attend a certain number of church meetings every week. Soon, there were missionaries in their Chandler home and soon after that Jim and Hallie became Latter Day Saints. (His father finally agreed to be baptized at the age of 88 and Jim happily agreed to be the one to dunk him under.)

Also, at age 16 he was anxious to get a driver’s license. His parents told him he would have to get his own car before they would sign the permission form. So, in addition to the early morning paper route, Jim got a job at the local Dodge dealership, working in the parts department after school and on Saturdays. Always running from one thing to the next and finding time for girls, he was never still except to sleep. Just ‘hanging out” would have been a mystery to him.

Jim continued to work after graduation from Chandler High up until his mission call to Uruguay. That was a two and a half year commitment back in 1961 but he really loved the time he spent there and always wanted to go back for a visit. People who were native speakers always said his Spanish was impeccable. He always took the chance to surprise any likely person who crossed his path with a greeting or a remark. They were always amazed that it had been over 6 decades since he had learned the language.

The return home to Chandler lasted only about 2 days: no time to report to his ward before he was off to BYU. His parents had arranged his acceptance and also had agreed to pay his first semester’s tuition. After that, it was up to him. So, in typical Jim Bolt fashion, he immediately got a job as an early morning janitor at the Y plus an after school job at the Provo McDonalds. Then perhaps becoming tired of hamburgers, he one day walked up the street to get a hot dog at the local Der Weinerschnitzel. When his eyes clapped onto the girl with the long blonde hair working the counter, his heart set in motion a short chain ifevents that would change both of their lives forever.

Jim and Lorraine married in August of 1967. He stayed in school and Lorraine got a job at Barbizon working until their first child was born. Jason came along in February 1969. Five more children followed, one every two years: Tyler, Cassandra, Ryan, Matthew and Melissa. Six was enough they thought, until Dustin came in January of 1984.

The kids all came in between graduating from BYU with a degree in Anthropology, joining the Navy (a four yearcommitment) living in San Diego during radio training; being stationed in Stockton, CA for one year; then stationed in San Diego assigned to the USS Dubuque; sometimes in port, more often gone on various assignments in the Pacific including a 7 month mission in Hai Phong Harbour sweeping mines; returning to BYU to obtain a Master’s in Library Science; and finally, working in the Family History Library in Salt Lake Cityfor 34 years until his retirement in 2011.

Jim’s greatest joy was his family. He faithfully attended every band concert, ball game, sporting event, graduation, mission farewell and homecoming of every grandchild. Then purchasing season tickets to Utah football games just to have his kids and grandkids attend with him enjoying burgers or pizza before or after every game.

Vacations were mostly spent visiting family in California, Oklahoma, Colorado and once or twice in Georgia where his sister Bonnie lives provided him with a big lot of 2 nieces, 3 nephews with their wives and children. There was one trip to Disneyland early on, another to Yellowstone, and one to the Grand Canyon. His Navy service, his mission and his work for the church Jim visited places without family: Hong Kong, Singapore, Buenos Aires, Brazil, Mexico City, Honolulu Hawaiiand Manilla in the Philippines.

His remaining years have been spent at the home located on 560 East in Orem. There hand Lorraine raised their 7 children and lived for over 50 years. Jim died peacefully at home at the age of 88 surrounded by wife and children having been able to hear goodbyes from friends and loved ones.

A Memorial service celebrating his life will take place following a Gathering from 10:30-11:30 on Saturday, March 14 at the LDS chapel located at 430 South 700 East in Orem. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the LDS Humanitarian Services.