Woodford HAROLD Bolton, Jr, born April 25, 1949, in Evergreen, Alabama, died on March 22, 2024, of leukemia. His wife of 47 years, Brenda (nee Anthony), was at his side holding his hand. He was the son of Woody and Clarise Bolton and son-in-law of Richard Preston and Juanita Anthony, and brother of Gayle Bolton Hicks (Pete) of Evergreen, Al, and Barbara Bolton Miller (Ronnie) of El Campo, Texas. He is also survived by nephew Chad Miller (Kim) and nieces Pam Brock (Randy) and Krista Cone (Clay), great nieces and nephews Zoe, Erin, Gage and Gunter. His laughter and persistently good spirit will be missed at family gatherings and Alabama game days by his Anthony family whom he loved so much, Debbie Anthony Matthews, Ray and Diane Anthony, Preston and Brittany Anthony, Morgen Anthony and Waylon Anthony. His absence will be felt in Germany, where his Exchange Student Guest Son, and now extended family, Stephan Giesen, lives with his wife Marisol and four children.
Harold graduated from the University of Alabama and later from the University of South Alabama graduate school and completed a career of over 40 years in education, as a history teacher, assistant principal, and central office administrative computer specialist. He helped pilot the first on-campus administrative computer system in Alabama and wrote a computer support manual to accompany software distributed to school districts across the southeast. His leisure interests included the care of a lifetime of loving pets including Bella, who now mourns his absence daily, and Spoda (the Best Cat Ever), as well as designing Brenda's garden, travel, music, Alabama football, chess, British mysteries and beer, and anything Beatles. He enjoyed working with the Leinkauf Historic District Neighborhood Organization, where he served as an executive board member and as President in 2018-19. Naïve at heart, goofy at times, he will be remembered as a kind, gentle, optimistic soul who believed in the goodness of others.
First diagnosed in 2019, Harold fought like a warrior against a relentless and brutal disease with optimism and a grit few would have guessed him capable of. The medical teams at MD Anderson, Houston Methodist, and the Mitchell Cancer Center, fought with him. His end-of -life caregivers Tonya, Sheila, Valerie and Monica supported both Harold and Brenda through difficult hours. Family members and friends too numerous to list proved what family and true friendships mean.
Remembrance for family and friends will be held on Harold's birthday, Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 4:30 in the afternoon at Mobile Botanical Gardens, Larkins Center, 5151 Museum Drive, Mobile, Alabama 36608.
APRIL 25, 1949 – MARCH 22, 2024
Graveside Service April 12, 2024 At 1:00 p.m.
Love to Brenda. She & Harold & I were in the same MG intern class.
Always enjoyed learning & volunteering with them in the gardens.