Harold Wallace LaBolt
Harold Wallace LaBolt, age 94, of Bradenton, Florida, died in his sleep Saturday, May 21, 2022. He was born at home on January 26, 1928, in Adams, Indiana to the late Albert Alley and Anna Mae (Worland) LaBolt. He had been a resident in the Sarasota-Bradenton area of Florida for 36 years. Harold graduated from St. Paul’s High School, St. Paul, Indiana in 1946. There were 15 students in his class. He went to college at Ball State and then transferred to Indiana University. He joined the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity and graduated with a BS in Business Administration in February 1951. Harold was the first person in his family to go to college. From April 1951 to April 1953, he served in the U. S. Army as a Special Agent of the Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) during the Korean War.
After his honorable discharge from the Army, he bought and operated the LaBolt’s Grocery Store in his hometown of Adams. He married Catherine A. Louden on June 23, 1954, at St. Mary’s Church in Greensburg, Indiana and she survives. The couple first lived in Adams, where, in addition to running his store, Harold was also a school bus driver and joined the Adams Volunteer Fire Department. In 1960, he started employment with Ball-Band, which required a move to northwest Ohio. Harold sold his store and moved his family to Upper Sandusky. While there, he was involved in many activities, including being on the City Council, the Lion’s Club and was a lifetime member of the Elks Club, where he served as the Exalted Ruler in 1974.
After Ball-Band discontinued making footwear in 1969, Mr. LaBolt started a long career with the 1st Savings and Loan, working up to Executive Vice President until they were bought out. After 26 years in Upper Sandusky, the family moved to Florida, where he obtained his realtor’s license and worked for American Dream Realty as an office manager in Sarasota before finally retiring. Later, Harold and Catherine volunteered for Meals on Wheels for over 10 years in Bradenton. At times, every one of his grandchildren lived in the same area and he and Catherine enjoyed a close relationship with all of them. Mr. LaBolt was an avid golfer and liked watching IU and OSU college football, IU basketball and Cincinnati Reds and Rays baseball.
Along with his wife of 67 years, Harold is survived by three sons and one daughter, John, of Groveland, Massachusetts, Nancy (Jeff) Striker of Brandon, Florida, Paul and Richard, both of Bradenton; his 6 grandchildren, Rachel (Dan) Gliewe, of Nashville, Tennessee, Peter Striker, of Tampa, Hunter LaBolt, of Austin, Texas, Emily LaBolt, of Santa Monica, California, Larissa LaBolt and Davis LaBolt, both of Bradenton; one great-granddaughter, Penelope Gliewe, of Nashville, Tennessee; two siblings, Charles (Gloria) LaBolt and Janice (Ralph) Stacy, both of Zionsville, Indiana; one brother-in-law, Claude Bilbrey, of Greensburg, Indiana and 9 nieces and nephews. Harold is preceded in death by his sister, Dorothea Bilbrey.
A Graveside Service with Military Honors will be held at 10:30AM, Tuesday, June 17, 2022 at Sarasota National Cemetery. Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 26th Street Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be made to www.brownandsonsfuneral.com.