Orville V. Bolejack

Orville Vernon Bolejack, age 91, passed away Monday, August 17, 2009, at his home in Greenleaf, Kansas. The funeral service was held at 10:00 am Saturday, August 22, 2009 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Greenleaf, Kansas. Pastor Jeremy Vore officiated. Karen Ayres played the congregational hymns, “Amazing Grace” and “The Old Rugged Cross”. Burial was at Maplewood Cemetery, Barnes, Kansas. Pallbearers are Richard Bolejack, Steven Bolejack, John Stupka, Bill Harlan, Josh Nelson and Jim Nelson. He was born September 4, 1917 south of Barnes, Kansas. He was the son of Ira Bolejack and Lucy Akers. He was baptized at the Barnes Christian Church and later became a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Greenleaf, Kansas. As a boy, he lived on a farm with his family in “Coyote Hollow” which was near Cottage Hill, Kansas. As a young man he worked in a bakery in Topeka. He was offered a chance to go to a bakery school in Chicago by a representative of Fleishmann’s yeast. He decided that the city was too large and that it was too far away from home. He served in the Army in California near Los Angeles as an Army cook. He also remembered fighting fires. While home on leave, he had a farm accident and lost two fingers. He was discharged from the Army. Later he and his brother, Earl, ran the Phillips 66 gas station in Greenleaf. They also farmed together. He worked at Hogan’s in Greenleaf where he met Hannah Nelson, who worked there as a bookkeeper. They were married on December 11, 1944, at the Presbyterian Church in Clay Center. Their first home was on a farm north of Greenleaf and Orville farmed until he retired. After his retirement he worked as a grain inspector. When Hannah had strokes, he spent most of his time taking care of her at home. They were married 57 years when she passed away on September 27, 2001. Orville was preceded in death by his parents, Ira and Lucy Bolejack; four brothers, Larkin Dea, Adryn, Milford, and Earl Bolejack; sisters-in-law, Opal Bolejack and Della Bolejack and a brother-in-law, John Nelson. He is survived by a sister-in-law, Adele Bolejack; nieces and nephews, cousins and many friends. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Orville V. Bolejack, please visit our flower store.