Jody B. Bolon

Jody B. Bolon, age 59, of Tuscarawas, passed away peacefully Thursday, May 30, 2013, in his home, surrounded by his family following a courageous yearlong battle with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Born at Dover July 14, 1953, he was the youngest of six children born to the late Joseph Michael and Norma Jean Ohler Bolon.

A 1971 graduate of New Philadelphia High School, Jody met and fell in love with the former Ida Miller whom he wed May 21, 1972. The couple observed their forty-first wedding anniversary just last week.
Jody will be remembered as a hard-working, practical joking, family man. He worked all of his life in the mining industry, beginning as a welder and deep miner, before joining Valley Mining where he went to work as a surface miner in 1986 and working with the company through last year.

When he wasn’t working, Jody could be found around the family home working on projects that made life better for his wife, sons, and grandchildren. He cherished the time he spent coaching his sons through t-ball, farm team and pony league.

A practical joker at heart – Jody’s friends and neighbors became accustomed to him surprising them with his Halloween mask and flashlight, that earned him many laughs and smiles.

Jody enjoyed fishing, was a fan of NASCAR – especially his favorite driver – Jeff Gordon, his Cleveland Browns, and his longtime sidekick – Angel – his dog – whom he occasionally referred to as “killer”.

Survivors, in addition to his wife of forty-one years, includes two sons and their families: Matt (wife, Bridget) Bolon of Tusky, and their children Zachary of Newcomerstown, and Brooke, Breanna, Madison, Nicholas, Kayden, Cooper and Parker, all of Tuscarawas, and Jeremy (wife, Allison) Bolon of Strasburg, and their two children Connor and Ashlynn, both of the home.

Jody will be sadly missed by his siblings; Michael “Mick” (Susan) Bolon of Goshen, Clifford “Chip” (Diane) Bolon of Tippecanoe, Christine Hunter of Deersville, Randolph “Randy” (Rose) Bolon of Tuscarawas, and Ethel “Toots” (Richard) Brooks of Bolivar. Many beloved nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews, complete the family.

In addition to his parents, a brother-in-law, Richard Hunter, precedes Jody in death.

Friends are invited to call Monday evening from 6-8 PM in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia where the Rev. Hugh B. Berry will lead a funeral service for Jody at 8 PM in the funeral home’s chapel.

The family will gather for a graveside committal service Tuesday morning at 9:30 in Evergreen Burial Park at New Philadelphia, after which, a brunch will be served in the Geib Family Center, adjacent to the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Jody Bolon Memorial Fund, in care of the Gnadenhutten office of the First National Bank of Dennison, PO Box, 690, Gnadenhutten, OH 44629.