Arthur Francis Bolles

APOLLO, Fla. – Arthur Francis Bolles, 87, of Apollo Beach, Fla. passed away peacefully at home on Oct. 3, 2024.

Art was born on Dec. 7, 1936, in Bellows Falls, Vt. and graduated from Bellows Falls High School in 1954. Upon graduation, he attended the University of Vermont and then enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he served as a Fire Control Technician Petty Officer 3rd Class (FTL3) on the USS Salem (CA 139). After the service, Art received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut in 1963 and his master’s degree from the University of Hartford in 1969. Art was a human resources director for General Dynamics in Groton, Conn. and North Kingstown, R.I. and later with Nichols Portland (formerly Parker Hannifin) in Portland.

Art and his family moved to Gorham in 1980 where he introduced his neighborhood to the lighting of luminaria every Christmas Eve, a tradition that has carried on to this day. Art and his wife Jean moved to Apollo Beach, Fla. in 2009. Art enjoyed spending the summers at camp on North Pond in Woodstock, along with hunting and fishing in the Maine woods. In later years, he continued to enjoy the outdoors by sipping wine on his lanai in Florida.

Art is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Jean Archer Bolles; along with his sons Thomas Mayo Bolles and his partner Andrea Biron of Scarborough, and Timothy Andrew Bolles and his wife Paula Batchelor Bolles of Bellmore, N.Y. He is also survived by his eight grandchildren, Elana, Matthew, Lucia, Averyl, Isabella, Anna, Ethan and Henry.

Art was predeceased by his parents, Albert Thomas Bolles and Elsie Grogan Bolles of Bellows Falls, Vt.; his older brother, Thomas Vincent Bolles of Wellesley, Mass. and his older sister, Elizabeth “Betty” Johnson of Baldwinsville, N.Y.

There will be no memorial service.

In lieu of flowers,

donations may be made to:

Life Path Hospice

3725 Upper Creek Drive

Ruskin, FL 33573

(or online at https://www.chaptershealth.org/foundation/lifepathhospice-donation/)