Grady Palmer Bolding Jr., 92, passed away on October 17, 2022, at Ellinwood District Hospital, in Ellinwood, Kan. He was born on August 13, 1930, in De Queen, Ark. to Grady and Eunice (Pittman) Bolding. On May 25, 1950, Grady married Charlotte “Chic” Matson in Smackover, Ark. They were married for over 60 years prior to her passing.
He spent his working career in the oil and gas industry. This career began in 1950 at the National Supply Company Store in Shreveport, La., moving up to store manager in 1953 in El Dorado, Ark. In 1955, Grady was employed with Tretolite Chemical Company in Magnolia, Ark., and starting in 1957, worked as a district manager for them in Great Bend, Kan. In 1967, he helped form Gordon Lab, Inc. and after they sold in 1980, Grady formed his own oil and gas producing company in 1981: Grady Bolding Corporation, which is still in operation today.
Grady was a member of the American Petroleum Institute and KIOGA, both for over 50 years, a member of the National Association for Corrosion Engineers – serving as chairman in the 1960s, and served on the board of directors for the Great Bend Petroleum Club. He was religious affiliated with the First Southern Baptist Church and the First Congregational Church, served as Chairman of the Barton County Council of Churches and was a volunteer teacher for both youth and adult Sunday school for over 40 years. In addition to these professional and religious groups, he served as a board member of the NAACP, on the board of directors for Farmer’s Bank and Trust, was a member of Kiwanis Club of Great Bend, served on scholarship committees, coached Great Bend Recreation baseball and football teams, served on the board for the Great Bend Country Club, and taught microeconomics classes at Barton Community College.
Survivors include three sons, Mike (Susie Lee) Bolding, of San. Francisco, Cali., Chris (Ursula) Bolding, of Jones, Okla., and Mark (Yan Zhu) Bolding of Houston, Tex.; a daughter, Cheryl (Lyle) Gunn of Great Bend, Kan.; thirteen grandchildren; and twenty-one great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents; ; wife, and two sisters, Maurine Swearingen and LaVerne Burton.
Visitation will take place from noon to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, October 20, 2022, at Bryant Funeral Home, with the family receiving guests from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. A private family graveside service will take place at Great Bend Cemetery on Friday, October 21, 2022.
Memorials have been designated to the First Southern Baptist Church, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.