William Edward Bolton

William Edward Bolton was born on April 7, 1936, in Chicago, Ill., to William B. Bolton and Barbara (Harmon) Bolton.

At a very young age, he worked to support his mother and sister, first with a paper route and then, at age 14, as a pin setter at a bowling center. Following his father's death, he and his sister were sent to rural Missouri to live with their Uncle Phillip and Aunt Thelma while his mother worked in a defense factory. He attended a one-room schoolhouse (he really did walk a mile each way to school) and hunted squirrels to supplement the family's meat supply.

After his eighth-grade graduation, he returned to Chicago to attend high school. Nine months after graduating from a vocational high school, where he became a licensed aircraft engine mechanic, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. Not wanting to continue as a mechanic, he claimed to have faked his aptitude test, hoping for a different career path. He completed basic training at Sampson Air Force Base in New York, where he specialized in electronics before being transferred to Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Miss. There, he was assigned to ground control and rocket interception. From Biloxi, he was sent to Red Rock AFB in Pa., essentially a radar station atop a mountain.

While in Pennsylvania, he was involved in a severe automobile accident. He spent three months in the Air Force hospital in Harrisburg, Pa., confined to a body cast with nothing to do but play pinochle. During his recovery, he had many conversations with the General Surgeon, who encouraged him to pursue a medical career. Though he lacked financial means, the General Surgeon advised him to find a way.

Once his body cast was removed and he returned to base, his sergeant-eager to be rid of him-informed him that his next assignment would be as a pilot on a guided missile. Instead, he was sent to Denver, Colo., for guided air rocket school, where his job was to check each missile's electronic functionality. He often reflected on the fact that, despite all the testing, none of the missiles were ever fired, leaving him uncertain about how well he had performed his duties.

He spent six months in Denver, where he met and married his first wife, Phyllis. They had five children. From Denver, he was transferred to Cape Cod, Mass., where he worked for two and a half years.

After his discharge from the Air Force, he enrolled in undergraduate school in Bloomington, Ill.. The G.I. Bill covered three years of schooling, so to support his growing family, he relied on savings and worked various jobs, including sacking groceries and janitorial work at a savings and loan bank.

After completing four years of undergraduate studies, he followed the advice of the Air Force Surgeon General and entered medical school at the University of Illinois. To finance his education, he worked numerous odd jobs and borrowed approximately $10,000 in his first year. He once recalled being audited by the IRS during this time, and after reviewing his finances, the examiner remarked that it was impossible to live on his income. Dr. Bolton jokingly replied, "That's what my wife keeps saying, too!"

During his second year of medical school, he took a part-time job at a blood bank, which he continued through his studies. In his third year, he also worked at the Cook County Jail (the same one featured in The Fugitive with Harrison Ford). Initially responsible for screening prisoners for medical issues, he soon became the "doctor on call." The overcrowded jail, built for 1,400 inmates but housing over 2,000, presented unique challenges. As a third-year medical student, he relied heavily on The Merck Manual, a reference book for diagnosing and treating conditions-a practice that would not be allowed today.

By his fourth year of medical school, he was working three jobs and was rarely home. After graduating, he completed an internship at Illinois Central Hospital, earning $1,000 per month. To make ends meet, he continued working at the jail. His internship covered pediatrics, OB/GYN, surgery, and internal medicine, providing a well-rounded foundation before selecting a residency. Unlike today, when most medical students choose a specialty before graduation, his internship allowed for broader exposure. Wanting additional experience, he opted for a second internship year at St. Elizabeth's in Youngstown, Ohio.

In Youngstown, the senior cardiology resident was called to Vietnam, and Dr. Bolton was unexpectedly chosen to replace him. Though he originally planned to practice general medicine, he seized the opportunity, believing that the medical profession is about continuous learning.

After a year in Youngstown, he returned to Chicago and accepted a four-year residency in general surgery at Illinois Central Hospital. He rotated between being a surgical resident by day and a medical resident by night. Following his residency, he became the emergency room director.

Following his divorce in 1973, Dr. Bolton took a vacation to Yellowstone National Park. Considering relocating from Chicago, he explored several communities In Montana and Wyoming.

Back at work in Chicago, he met Dr. Peter Rosen, the director of emergency medicine at the University of Chicago. Dr. Rosen, who had previously practiced in Thermopolis with Dr. Gitlitz, informed Dr. Bolton that Thermopolis needed a surgeon after Dr. Gitlitz's tragic death in a plane crash. In January 1974, Dr. Bolton moved to Thermopolis.

In August of 1981, he married Esther Davis Blakesley. They lived in Thermopolis and later in Worland, Wyo. Dr. Bolton officially retired in 1996 but continued working as a locum tenens (temporary physician) for several years.

In 1998, they returned to Thermopolis to be near Esther's granddaughters. Known as "Papa" to them, he loved playing basketball with them and taking them on vacations to places like the Black Hills and Yellowstone.

Doc enjoyed playing tennis weekly with friends and was active in The Federated Community Church, where he volunteered on multiple committees and helped with maintenance work, from trimming trees, fertilizing the lawn, pulling weeds to varnishing the Church's front doors.

After 36 years of marriage, Esther was admitted to the Basin Retirement Center in Basin, Wyo., with Alzheimer's disease in December 2017. Dr. Bolton remained devoted to her, visiting at least once a week. After suffering a stroke in 2019, he received in-home care. In 2020, the family brought Esther home for her remaining years. She passed away at home, surrounded by family and caregivers, on January 31, 2022.

William Edward Bolton passed away at Hot Springs Health in Thermopolis, Wyo., on February 2, 2025. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his children, Teresa Bolton of Nixa, Mo., Johanna Brandt of Streator, Ill .; Mark (Karen) Bolton of Carriere, Miss .; Matthew (Rachel) Bolton of Hamilton, Ohio; and Phillip Bolton of Centennial, Wyo. He is also survived by Esther's children, Veva Blakesley and Mark (Lori) Blakesley of Thermopolis, Wyo. Additionally, he leaves behind 11 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

A memorial service will be held March 22, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Federated Community Church, 244 N. 6th St. in Thermopolis. If you cannot attend in person, you can join at https://www.cmtyfedchurch.org. Memorials can be made to Federated Community Church.