Claire Bolton, age 83, of Miles City

Claire Aldee Bolton 83, passed away peaceably at Holy Rosary Hospice Miles City, Montana early morning May 20, 2016, with his wife by his side, after a yearlong courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Claire was born to William T. Bolton and Sara Robinson Bolton on October 18, 1932 in Ismay, Montana. Claire had his schooling in the Ismay and Westmore area through 8^th grade from 1937 through 1946. At an early age, he had a passion for the area of eastern Montana, the land, the people and being part of outdoors experience with hunting and farming. In 1947, Claire moved with the Bolton family to Wisconsin and worked on the family dairy farm in Wisconsin until moving back to Montana in 1948.   Prior to entering the Army, Claire worked farming jobs and custom combined in Eastern Montana north to the Canadian border. In 1949, Claire entered into the construction trade and started with the Milwaukee Road Pacific Extension, Inland Missouri Extension portion from Mobridge South Dakota to Harlowtown Montana, doing carpentry and painting maintenance work. He entered into the Army in 1953 and served for two years taking him to tours in Europe of countries Austria and Germany. Upon honorable discharge from the 350^th Infantry Company A of the Army in 1955, he rehired on with the Milwaukee Road and work on many Milwaukee Road bridges, Milwaukee Road maintenance facilities and Milwaukee Road depots.

On October 27, 1956, Claire married the love of his life Pauline Mary Delaurenti. To this marriage Claire and Pauline started and raised a household of children which was an accomplishment. As the family came, the construction career took off for Claire and he moved himself and the family from location to location.

Moving from construction projects with the railroad, Claire moved into bridge construction in 1962 hiring on with Shye and Sullivan working on bridges in Montana such as the north 7^th street bridge on 59 North over the Yellowstone River and other bridge construction projects that took him as far east as West Virginia where he worked on the famous Gualey River Summersville Lake Bridge on US Route 19 in West Virginia.   In 1964 he hired on with NA Nelson Construction of Sheridan Wyoming that took him all over the State of Wyoming, and Montana where he built bridges and other building type construction projects. He worked on many bridges in Montana that spanned East to West along the being developed I – 90/94 corridor with high profile bridges in Western Montana over the Clark Fork river and north to south areas of Montana that spanned many rivers and streams including the Yellowstone, Big Horn and Missouri rivers. In the mid 1970’s Claire changed companies and moved to industrial construction with Fairfield Eagle Corporation of Loveland Colorado and was heavily involved in the construction of the Colstrip plants 1, 2, 3 and 4. After the Colstrip plants were completed in 1974, Claire relocated to Gillette Wyoming in 1975 to work on the coal mine plant construction for the Cordero Mine in south central eastern Campbell County Wyoming. Upon commuting back and forth into Wyoming back into Montana, Claire moved part of the family to Gillette Wyoming in 1976 and let the eldest of the children remain in Miles City with family to finish out their High School years and the beginning of their adult years. With Fairfield Eagle he participated and built many of the operational coal production plants in Campbell County and northern Converse County. He also completed the former Stockmen Bank tower in Gillette – now First Interstate Bank in 1979. With part of the family in Wyoming and part in Montana, there was a lot of traveling back and forth through the years from the mid 1970’s to the mid 1990’s. In the mid 1980’s after the mine construction in Campbell County slowed down and Fairfield Eagle dissolved, Claire hired on at the last mine he built – Antelope Coal Mine in northern Converse County Wyoming, and worked there within the plant operations until he took an early retirement in 1994. In 1986, he was featured on the cover of Pacific Corp Annual Shareholders Report and had a featured article on him. Through his working career, he belonged to a number of organizations, including the VFW, 58 years with the Local Carpenters Union 1182, American Legion and the NRA.

As part of Claire’s retirement plan, he purchased Barney’s (Klamm’s Bar) in Miles City in 1989 and became part of the Montana Taverns Association. The bar was not the retirement plan he had hoped for and sold all rights to it in 1996 and built a new home out in the east valley of Miles City to which he continued honing his gardening and farming skills in the spring and summer that were gained throughout all of his previous years. Dad enjoyed constructing things with his hands such as building things from old barnwood, picture frames and clock memorabilia became 2^nd nature to him that he passed off to family and friends. He and Pauline became avid participants in the Farmers Market with produce and craft products that he built and produced. He and Pauline volunteered graciously at the VA and local Senior Center assisting in cooking meals and volunteering for playing Bingo which was greatly appreciated by all involved. He would always cook for like he was cooking for an army.   In the fall he participated in many hunting expeditions with family and friends in eastern Montana, trips that will always be reminisced on by family and friends alike.

During retirement he and mom traveled passionately throughout the state of Montana and throughout the North Central part of the United States. During these travels Claire took it upon himself to track down many relatives both living and deceased that have resided throughout the areas of their travels and reconnect with them.   He and mom would always catch birthdays of family and friends throughout their travels along with weddings of relatives and friends; and community reunions and celebrations.

He and mom traveled to Italy with Pauline’s family in 1997 to connect with Pauline’s relatives. After the Army, during his construction career and through retirement, this was the only out of country trip taken. During his retirement Claire and Pauline hosted many family gatherings at their home on Valley Drive East on mainly Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day weekends where he was typically the main cook with help from all that would pitch in. This became very common for these two weekends of the last 19 years. Other Holidays, Claire would assist in the food preparation of many holiday functions. He definitely enjoyed birthday time with his family and friends.

Claire is survived by his wife of 59.5 years, Pauline and children, Daughter Juanita (Fred) Mace, Billings MT, Son James Bolton, Gillette, Wyoming; Daughter Jean, (George) Massick, Billings, MT; Son John (Brenda) Bolton, Great Falls, MT; and Son Joe (Cathy) Bolton, Gillette Wyoming. Immediate family survivors also include, Brother, William T, (Connie) Bolton, Miles City; Sister Doris Arlene Bolton Mitchell, Titusville, Florida and Forsyth; 6 grandchildren, John Mace, Casey Rhoads, Sara Mace, Levi Rhoads, Lauren Bolton, Ashlee Bolton; and two great grand-daughters, Paisley and Mikah. Survivors also include 8 nieces and nephews, many great nieces and nephews, many cousins and friends also survive. Claire has been preceded in death by an infant daughter, parents, Sisters Vee Bolton Wilkins, Delles Bolton Sleeth, and Kristi Bolton.

From all of Claire’s Family and Friends, we will deeply miss you, the experiences, and the memories we have had with you in this life journey of yours. Now that you are with your Mom and Dad and your sisters we hope your journey is complete and we also hope to someday see you on the other side, as you will be there.   We love you and thank you for the journey and the ride.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 26, 2016 at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home with family receiving friends from 4:00-6:00 p.m. followed by a Vigil Service at 6:30 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held Friday, May 27, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Interment will follow in the Eastern Montana State Veteran’s Cemetery with full military honors. Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home of Miles City is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: www.stevensonandsons.com.

Service Schedule

Family to Receive Friends

4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Thursday May 26, 2016

Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home

1717 Main Street

Miles City, Montana 59301

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Vigil Service

6:30 p.m.

Thursday May 26, 2016

Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home

1717 Main Street

Miles City, Montana 59301

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Funeral Service

2:00 p.m.

Friday May 27, 2016

Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home

1717 Main Street

Miles City, Montana 59301

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Interment with Full Military Honors

Friday May 27, 2016

Eastern Montana State Veteran's Cemetery

Miles City, Montana 59301

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