Raymond Warren Bolton

RAYMOND WARREN BOLTON
Raymond Warren Bolton passed away on Monday, November 21, 2016, at the Aspirus Wausau Hospital under the care of Aspirus Hospice with the love of his family and faithful dog, Gus, by his side.
Ray was born August 24, 1931, to Frank and Anna (Hedbavny) Bolton in Ashland, Wisconsin. Ray spent his childhood in the city of Phillips and his free time on Musser Flowage, East of town. He was a member of the 1949 Class of the Phillips High School and quit when he was 17 to serve his country during the Korean Conflict. Ray was a proud Army veteran. And true to a hero, he never talked about those tough times.
He is survived by his son, Randy (Cindy), Kathy (Tom Tingo), Barbara, and Dorothy Bolton. He leaves behind a most loving long time special friend, Nancy Imbach. Ray also leaves behind his faithful dog, Gus, whom everyone will remember, tha went everywhere with him. Ray is also survived by five grandchildren: Angel, Brittany, Amber, Cody, and Lacey. There are also three great-grandchildren: Adriana, Brooklyn, and Ciena. He has one sister, Loraynne (Harvey) Herrmann; a niece Dawn, and a nephew, Gary. Ray had many friends around Musser and Phillips. He kept in contact with old school chums. Ray will be missed by all of them.
Ray worked for many years at Phillips Plastics Company in management and was Plant Manager at the Medford plant, returning to the Phillips plant and retiring from there.
Ray was an avid outdoors-man which accounted for his love of poema written by Robert W. Service who wrote tales of the Yukon. Rays favorite was “The Cremation of Sam McGee”. Ray could recite this poem word for word. He lived by the verse from another one of Service’s poems, “The Heart of the Sourdough”. Quoted here “I have flouted the Wild, I have followed its lure, fearless, familiar, alone; Yet the Wild must win, and a day will come when I shall be overthrown”.
A celebration of Ray’s life will be held at the Heindl Funeral Home in Phillips at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, November 25, with Pastor Terry Sellers officiating. Military honors will be conducted by the Lane Kreiling American Legion Post No. 122 and the Frank and Michael Baran VFW Post No. 5778. Inurnment will be in the Lakeside Cemetery in Phillips. Friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday from 10:00 A.M. until the time of services.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.heindlfuneralhome.com
The Heindl Funeral Home in Phillips is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.