Remembering Josh Bolles
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On May 31st, 2020 we lost our dear friend, brother, husband, and son, Josh Bolles at the young age of 34. He is survived by his wife Stephanie (Steph), mother Mary, father Kevin, sister Erika, and surrogate mother Colleen. Josh spent 3 days in the ICU on life support fighting for his life. As a registered organ donor, he gave the gift of life in his passing. He had steady employment but unfortunately had not filed for health insurance, or life insurance. Steph and Josh had been saving every penny in order to buy their first house together, which they successfully did on May 1st. All money raised will go directly to medical, cremation, and various other expenses associated with his passing. Josh Bolles was my brother in law, and my sister Stephanie Bolles will be the sole person able to withdraw money from this fund. Steph lives in Grove City, Ohio and will use the money to pay the over $75,000 in medical/hospital expenses billed so far from Mount Carmel Hospital in Grove City, and any additional funeral expenses that may be more pressing in nature. The bills are still being totaled and I will post updates as we get them.
Josh was my brother (in law), a fact that I wouldn't have ever imagined when we met at 14 years old. We were wrestlers at different schools, and Josh started talking to me at a tournament one day (Josh loved to tell the story of this chance meeting). Fast forward a few months, we were at the same school and quickly became great friends. Josh was boisterous, extroverted, loud, and confident from the get go. I was the polar opposite of Josh, but his personality was infectious and you couldn't help but be friends with him. He had a knack for pushing the limits of teachers and coaches, and then sweet talking his way out of trouble. Together Josh and I became part of a large friend group whose positive influence on our adolescence and lives is immeasurable. I know that Josh truly treasured his friends, and continued to talk to them on a daily basis up until the day of his untimely death.
At Mt. Carmel, our high school, Josh joined the wrestling team freshman year. We were coached and mentored by Jose Campo, Mark Bolt, and Gail Miller amongst others. Coach Campo always talked about the team as a family, and in fact our saying was "Faith and Family" through our years on the team. Josh was a few weight classes over me, but we still grappled from time to time. I remember one day Josh showed up with half of his eyebrows shaved off due to a dare. It makes me laugh thinking about it today, but he was affectionately called "Eyebrows" in the wrestling room from then on. I could go on for a while about wrestling but I'll leave it with this, Josh loved being a wrestler. It was a part of his core identity (I'm a wrestler, what) and something he took great pride in. I think the brotherhood that results from battling each other everyday probably appealed to him the most. It was for that reason that we were already brothers even before he married my sister.
Steph is an amazing sister and thanks to attending SDSU was able to attend a lot of sporting events and hesitantly became friends with Josh. With the large amount of time that Josh spent at my mom's house eating all the snacks in the house, Steph got to spend more time getting to know our lovable goofball. My mom, Mama J as Josh used to call her, always loved Josh and was happy to have him around the house whenever he wanted to be there. After our high school graduation Steph started hanging out with Josh and crew a lot more. Their friendship blossomed over the years that followed. They had so much in common, and we all knew it was only time before they tested the waters of dating. It was a real-life incarnation of Chandler and Monica from Friends. In many ways I think things happen when they are supposed to happen. The first half of Josh's 20s were not the easiest time for him. He was trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life, who he wanted to be, and how that all fit together. He made it through that time and "grew up" a lot as he told me several times. As our 30s rolled around I think he found some peace, and thats when Steph and him really found each other. He wrote me in May 2016 to let me know that his intentions with Steph were very pure, that he has always had a strong connection with her, and that the timing was really good. They moved in together shortly after that, dated for a few years in San Diego. They had such great friendship out there, and were able to enjoy being together finally with their friends. They were married on May 26th, 2018 in a small private ceremony in Julian with special thanks to Anthony and Autumn. A month later Josh and Steph moved to Columbus, OH to start the next phase of their lives. They made a great life together in Ohio, and were lucky to have my mom and other family nearby. They had so many plans and aspirations of what the future would hold, and he was so excited to be in their new house. They were really each other's people, soulmates, and best friends. Josh had a powerful love for Steph, that point is indisputable.
Josh had a light about him that is unmatched in anyone I have ever met. People were drawn to him, and he never met someone that he didn't become friends with. He was charismatic, charming, and one of the funniest dudes I've ever known. Josh loved sports. He loved playing sports, watching sports, and had a crazy knowledge and mind for sports trivia. He was a Yankees and Jets fan through and through. He loved music, and loved the leading women of 70s rock. But of all the things he loved, most important to him was his family and friends. He would do anything for family and friends.
The last conversation I had with Josh we talked a lot about being grateful. He told me how grateful he was to be a part of our family, and how lucky he was to be with my sister. But in the end I think it is all of us that are grateful for you Josh. Thank you for showing us how to be kind to each other, and how to love. We will carry it with us forever, and do our best to live our lives with the joy you showed us all.
Here's a few things I will miss about Josh:
All his sayings- "Bro. Broo. What up?! Suppies! Oh Dude!!! Heck yes! Right?!?! Oontz, Oh totes. I love you."
His hour long phone calls where he refuses to get off the phone
How long he takes to eat every meal
The ridiculous amount that he would sweat
His 30 minute toilet breaks
Dance parties
His laugh
His smile
Josh was my brother (in law), a fact that I wouldn't have ever imagined when we met at 14 years old. We were wrestlers at different schools, and Josh started talking to me at a tournament one day (Josh loved to tell the story of this chance meeting). Fast forward a few months, we were at the same school and quickly became great friends. Josh was boisterous, extroverted, loud, and confident from the get go. I was the polar opposite of Josh, but his personality was infectious and you couldn't help but be friends with him. He had a knack for pushing the limits of teachers and coaches, and then sweet talking his way out of trouble. Together Josh and I became part of a large friend group whose positive influence on our adolescence and lives is immeasurable. I know that Josh truly treasured his friends, and continued to talk to them on a daily basis up until the day of his untimely death.
At Mt. Carmel, our high school, Josh joined the wrestling team freshman year. We were coached and mentored by Jose Campo, Mark Bolt, and Gail Miller amongst others. Coach Campo always talked about the team as a family, and in fact our saying was "Faith and Family" through our years on the team. Josh was a few weight classes over me, but we still grappled from time to time. I remember one day Josh showed up with half of his eyebrows shaved off due to a dare. It makes me laugh thinking about it today, but he was affectionately called "Eyebrows" in the wrestling room from then on. I could go on for a while about wrestling but I'll leave it with this, Josh loved being a wrestler. It was a part of his core identity (I'm a wrestler, what) and something he took great pride in. I think the brotherhood that results from battling each other everyday probably appealed to him the most. It was for that reason that we were already brothers even before he married my sister.
Steph is an amazing sister and thanks to attending SDSU was able to attend a lot of sporting events and hesitantly became friends with Josh. With the large amount of time that Josh spent at my mom's house eating all the snacks in the house, Steph got to spend more time getting to know our lovable goofball. My mom, Mama J as Josh used to call her, always loved Josh and was happy to have him around the house whenever he wanted to be there. After our high school graduation Steph started hanging out with Josh and crew a lot more. Their friendship blossomed over the years that followed. They had so much in common, and we all knew it was only time before they tested the waters of dating. It was a real-life incarnation of Chandler and Monica from Friends. In many ways I think things happen when they are supposed to happen. The first half of Josh's 20s were not the easiest time for him. He was trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life, who he wanted to be, and how that all fit together. He made it through that time and "grew up" a lot as he told me several times. As our 30s rolled around I think he found some peace, and thats when Steph and him really found each other. He wrote me in May 2016 to let me know that his intentions with Steph were very pure, that he has always had a strong connection with her, and that the timing was really good. They moved in together shortly after that, dated for a few years in San Diego. They had such great friendship out there, and were able to enjoy being together finally with their friends. They were married on May 26th, 2018 in a small private ceremony in Julian with special thanks to Anthony and Autumn. A month later Josh and Steph moved to Columbus, OH to start the next phase of their lives. They made a great life together in Ohio, and were lucky to have my mom and other family nearby. They had so many plans and aspirations of what the future would hold, and he was so excited to be in their new house. They were really each other's people, soulmates, and best friends. Josh had a powerful love for Steph, that point is indisputable.
Josh had a light about him that is unmatched in anyone I have ever met. People were drawn to him, and he never met someone that he didn't become friends with. He was charismatic, charming, and one of the funniest dudes I've ever known. Josh loved sports. He loved playing sports, watching sports, and had a crazy knowledge and mind for sports trivia. He was a Yankees and Jets fan through and through. He loved music, and loved the leading women of 70s rock. But of all the things he loved, most important to him was his family and friends. He would do anything for family and friends.
The last conversation I had with Josh we talked a lot about being grateful. He told me how grateful he was to be a part of our family, and how lucky he was to be with my sister. But in the end I think it is all of us that are grateful for you Josh. Thank you for showing us how to be kind to each other, and how to love. We will carry it with us forever, and do our best to live our lives with the joy you showed us all.
Here's a few things I will miss about Josh:
All his sayings- "Bro. Broo. What up?! Suppies! Oh Dude!!! Heck yes! Right?!?! Oontz, Oh totes. I love you."
His hour long phone calls where he refuses to get off the phone
How long he takes to eat every meal
The ridiculous amount that he would sweat
His 30 minute toilet breaks
Dance parties
His laugh
His smile
Organizer and beneficiary
Tim Jarrell
Organizer
Grove City, OH
Stephanie Jarrell Bolles
Beneficiary