Gary L Bolte

Education: Bachelors of Science in buniness administration (BSBA).

After graduating from High School, I worked with my father and attended night school at Akron University.
In 1964, I was drafted into the military, but chose to enlist for an extra year to attend finance school. I left for basic training at Fort Knox Kentucky on August 5, 1964. After completion of boot camp, I attended the army Finance School at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind.
My first permanent duty station was at Fort Douglas, located in Salt Lake City, Utah. I spent the entire year of 1965 having the time of my life. I attended the University of Utah; competed on the Sixth Army Pistol Team; traveled state wide with the Fort Douglas softball team, and was on the honor guard. I took advantage of everything there was to offer for a young man. I loved Utah and the west, promising myself I would move back there again, but, so far, have not.
In January of 1966, I was transferred to Oakland Army Base, which was the processing center for Vietnam. I had the opportunity to attend San Francisco University for the entire year and a half there, plus found time to travel through out California. One of my greatest honors was to volunteer for body escort duty. In August of 1966, I escorted a young soldier that was killed in Vietnam, to his home in Toledo. I have maintained contact with his family to date. I will always value my military experience as three of the best years of my life, keeping in contact with many of my old friends.
On August 5, 1967, I returned to civilian life and started working at Holiday Health Clubs, later to become Vic Tanny Health and Fitness Clubs of American and stayed in the industry for two decades. There I met my best friend and future wife Kittie. We were married on June 29, 1974, and I became a father to my step children Jeri Vanessa, Jeffrey, Greg and James. In addition to long hours of work and family time, flying became a passion in the 70s. I used my GI Bill to attend flight school, earning Private, Commercial and Instrument flight ratings. This opened up many opportunities for business and recreational flying.
In 1979, we relocated to Michigan for a better employment opportunity. By now, our boys were in junior high and high school, so sports activites in and out of school were the order of the day. I loved attending their games and going to martial arts classes with them, plus skiing, snowmobiling and all the activities Michigan has to offer.
April 2, 1981 was the worst day of my life. I received a call my daughter was critically injured in an accident, and our best hope was her life could be saved, but she would lose one of her legs. By God’s grace, I still have my little girl. Being an amputee created some challenges, but that was irrelevant since we still have her. The proudest day of my life came two years later, when I walked her down the aisle at her wedding.
Family is everything to me, and all the important events and memories in my life focus on my wife, four children, eleven grand children and now a great grandchild. The joy of watching my family grow, and in many ways growing with them, is a dimension of life that is amazing and hopefully experienced by everyone. I count my blessings daily as I relive the memories, and weekly share my life with them, which constantly reminds me they are God’s greatest gift.

Band: Mr. Ed Jones was the coolest teacher for me. I loved all aspects of band and especially the bus rides to and from football games--what fun we had.

Shop class: we had so much fun I don't know how we ever learned anything.