In Honor of Richard

Richard Joseph Bolner, 1928-1996

Richard's life was a rich life. It was a life blessed with love and friendship and much affection--and a life which gave back that love, friendship, and affection.

He entered the U. S. military service before finishing high school and received his diploma from St. Joseph Academy ("The Convent") in Plauchéville some time later. After leaving the service he returned to live for a time with his parents, Almeda and Albert, in the place called Bodoc, in Avoyelles Parish. He then moved to Franklin to join his sisters (Verdie and Zulie) and brother-in-law (Sitges) working in the Lee Firmin grocery store on Willow Street. In Franklin, Richard and his brother Dale were a close-knit duo--fun loving and happy-go-lucky. People in Franklin still talk about their light blue 1954 Pontiac convertible. He made many friends in Franklin, and it's there that he met his greatest friend, Phyllis Alvarez, whom he married.

In 1963 he moved to Metairie to work with his brother Dan and with Denise. Together they ran what is now known as "the store on Clearview" until it closed in the 1970s. Rich then worked for the Clearview Market until health problems forced him to retire.

Richard's life was his family--Phyllis, Ricky, and Mary Frances, and Stephanie, and more recently, his son-in-law, Clint--and, his beloved granddaughter, Acadiana. But it was also his brothers and sisters and his nieces and nephews, and aunts and uncles, and cousins. He was a true "family man." Rich had a special place in his heart for his "bourré partner," Aunt Mae. He checked in with her every day--if not in person--by telephone.

Richard's honesty dominated his life. He was honest in the sense of being frank, but he was also honest in letting everyone know where he stood on questions of religion and politics. He was honest in another sense--the sense of not knowing or caring wh at it meant to "put on airs" or to be fake or false. His generosity was like that: it was straightforward. He just naturally found great satisfaction in helping other people or sharing whatever he had.

He was a lover of life. He was a fighter for life to the end. Five years ago he was in grave danger after a heart attack. He fought back. To quote him: "If I can't beat it, I'll fight it." He lived live more intensely surrounded by friends. He was always the center of attention, because Rich knew that we all like to laugh--at others and especially at ourselves. He had the gift of making the quick and original comment that was simply funny. Like all our family, he loved to tell the old stories abo ut "the old times" that we have heard over and over. Everyone knew the stories perfectly but wanted to hear them again, and we wanted Rich to tell them--or for him to embellish someone else's account. Rich could be counted on to lead us to another--and funnier--story.

Rich was always himself. Even when he dressed up in his favorite disguises for Mardi Gras; he was himself. He loved to have a good time. He was a great cook and he loved food and he loved to share food with others.

He loved to play tricks on friends--tricks that would make him laugh and make those who were the "victims" of the pranks laugh--and tricks that would make everyone laugh when they would be described and re-described.

Now, whenever the Bolners visit or get together for a reunion Rich will be missed, but we can be sure that he will be with us always. Someone will be there to tell a "Richard story" and we will all recapture his life within ours--a life of love, friends hip, loyalty, affection--and honesty!