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Roland Boltinghouse, 94, of Lenox died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, at Ritchie Funeral Home, 124 S. Main St., in Lenox. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until service time Thursday at the funeral home. Interment will be in North Fairview Cemetery in Lenox. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in Roland's name. Online condolences may be left at www.ritchiefuneralhome.com.
Roland Hugh Boltinghouse, son of Orval (O.L.) and Della (Madden) Boltinghouse, was born Aug. 27, 1922, at home in Lenox. He attended kindergarten and first grade in Lenox. In 1930, his parents purchased a farm in Grove Township, and the family moved to the country. He spent the remainder of his school years at Grove No. 4, graduating with honors from eighth grade in 1936. Since he had no transportation, he could not attend high school, so at age 15 he started his first job working with a threshing crew.
On May 9, 1944, Roland married Thelma Louise Ferguson at the Presbyterian Church in Creston. They began married life on a farm in Grove Township not far from his parental home. Roland was a farmer all of his life. In 1948, following the death of his father, he and Thelma purchased the home place, and this farm would be their home for 56 years. They lived there until 2004, when they moved to Vintage Park. Following Thelma’s death in 2004, Roland remained at Vintage Park until 2013 when he moved into Lenox Care Center.
Roland was a member of Sharpsburg Methodist Church, served on the Grove No. 4 School Board and was treasurer of the church for many years. He and Thelma were members of several neighborhood card clubs.
Roland is survived by his daughters, Diane (Dean) Bovaird, Connie (Bob) Birt and Kathy (Mark) Purdum; grandchildren, Rob (DeAnn) Birt, Jason (Shell) Birt, Ryan (Heather) Birt, Joel (Sara LeFleur) Bovaird, Jill (Bill) Shuler, Alicia (Matt Casteel) Loman and Aaron (Ashley) Purdum; great-grandchildren, Marcus (Rachael), Kaylee and Conner Birt, Brendon and Isaac Birt, Nolan Birt, Kyle, Payton and Addison Shuler, Keaton and Kaleb Loman, and Makaila, Maddison and Maverick Casteel; great-great-grandson Easton Birt; special nieces, Mae Head and Lora Shontz; sister-in-law Marjorie Evans; brother-in-law Paul Brokaw and many other relatives and friends.
Roland was preceded in death by his wife, Thelma; parents; brother Cleo (Juanita); two grandchildren; mother- and father-in-law, George and Mary Ferguson and sisters-in-law, Merle Beggs, Juanita Sweeney, Georgia Stoaks and Helen Brokaw.