Louie (Earshel) Bolan

By Staff
Oct. 1, 2006
Funeral for Louie (Earshel) Bolan, 78, of Plainfield, Ill. will be Friday, Oct. 6, at 11 a.m. at Peck Funeral Home Chapel.
Burial will be in Johnson Chapel Cemetery.
Visitation will be Thursday (today), Oct. 5, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Mr. Bolan, a long-time resident of Clinton, Ill., died Sunday, Oct. 1, 2006 at the Lakewood Care Rehab Center in Plainfield due to a long illness of Parkinson’s disease.
He was born May 23, 1928, in Morgan County to Thomas William Bolan III and Ida Depreast Bolan.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Loyal Thomas Bolan; five sisters, Ethel Viana Roberts, Sarah Jane Ball, Rachel, Minnie Lee Roberts and Mary Lillian Defoe; a niece, Maverine Key; two nephews, Raymond and Wayne Roberts; a stepson, Rodger Lathem; and a daughter, Rita V. Parker.
He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, serving from 1945 to 1952, with the rank of sergeant in the military police. He was decorated with the World War II victory medal and good conduct ribbons. He was a member of Lockport Masonic Lodge #538 AF &AM.
He loved playing a guitar and violin and singing gospel and country music. He also loved to travel in the United States and Europe.
He is survived by his second wife, Lucille Travis Bolan; a step-daughter, Susan Welch and husband Lee; a step-son, Darell (Ricky) Lathem; 21 step-grandchildren and 26 step-great-grandchildren.
From his first marriage to Margaret V. Murphree Bolan, he is survived by four daughters, Loretta G. Umbarger and husband Richard, Barbara M. Lott and husband Ranny; Glenda M. Mason and Janice F. Orsini and husband Mark; four sons, Byron L. Bolan and wife Chris, Rex V. Bolan, Gordon B. Bolan and wife Sarah and Gregory A. Bolan; 23 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, three nephews, Wane Roberts and Elgin and Arnold Bolan; and three nieces, Racine Shaw, Evelyn Hudgins and Elizabeth Hazel and husband Raymond.