George Thomas Boland

George Thomas Boland, 86, a longtime area resident, died on June 22, 2013, at Oasis Pavilion Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, surrounded by family and friends.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at J. Warren Funeral Services, Cole & Maud The Gardens Chapel, with rosary recited at 7. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Thursday at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church by the Rev. John Arnold. Burial will be in Mountain View Cemetery.

Mr. Boland was born on April 5, 1927, in Elkader, Iowa, to Thomas E. and Mary Elizabeth (Donlon) Boland and was a descendant of the great Gaelic family Boland that emerged in County Clare, Ireland. The Bolands, or O’Beoilain in Gaelic, are descendents from the Heber line of Irish kings and Mahon, brother of King Brian Boru (who died in 1014), one of Ireland’s greatest kings. He was baptized at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Elkader, which his father helped build. He went to Cox Creek country school before going to St Joseph’s Catholic School in Elkader. When he was in the ninth grade he worked for the Clayton County Register setting type, and he had several other jobs when he was in high school.

He joined the Navy, celebrating his 18th birthday while in boot camp during World War II. He spent some time onboard the second USS Hornet carrier. After being discharged he met Maxine Rauch and later married her. They had five sons. He worked many jobs ranging from selling magazines to driving a rendering truck picking up dead farm animals. He was active in the Volkswagen Club of America and won awards for his driving skills. He was employed for the longest time at Kelbourne Photo Paper Co. His wife came down with an illness that caused her to be confined to a wheelchair, and they decided to move to Arizona City in 1964. He worked in construction and then became a Volkswagen salesman at the Casa Grande dealership earning $25 per car sold. He later was a Volkswagen mechanic. He was sent to California to become certified and was offered a job teaching there as he had figured out shortcuts and made special tools to complete jobs faster and more efficiently.

His wife’s health improved and they divorced after 22 years of marriage. She later had cancer and died in 1973. He later met Eleanor Bourbonnaise, they married and moved near Signal Peak, where he opened a Volkswagen repair shop. They traveled and spent many summers in northern Arizona camping and eventually purchased a summer trailer in Overgaard. After he retired they moved to Casa Grande. Eleanor died in 2004. He became active in senior center events and played and sang music from the
Big Band Era. His closest friends included Joe Scavo, Ed Pietrzak and Carolyn Mill.

Survivors include four sons, Paul A. Boland of Tempe, Larry J. Boland of Casa Grande, Robert M. Boland of Iowa and Gerald K. Boland of New Mexico; three daughters, Mona Cabanillas, Lucy Felix and Lorina Linley, all of Casa Grande; a brother, Joseph Boland of St. Paul, Minn.; 17 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife; a son, George F. Boland; two sisters, Dolores Boland and Regina Harbaugh; and two brothers, Raymond and Luke Boland.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Anthony’s Tradition of Faith fund or Hospice Charitable Fund of Central Arizona.