Obituary of Joseph Charles Bolesta

Loving husband, father, grandfather and brother, Joseph Charles Bolesta passed away on February 23, 2023 in Loveland, Colorado – peacefully and with family. Joe was born on August 16, 1949 in Klamath Falls, Oregon. He grew up on the farm of his homesteader parents, Charles A. Bolesta and Eleanor J. Bolesta, near Tulelake, California, with his siblings Peggy, Mary, Laura and Murray.

After graduating from Tulelake High School in 1967, Joe attended Santa Rosa Junior College, Monterey Peninsula College and then the University of California at Santa Cruz. There he met his wife of 49 years, Pam Smith Bolesta.  In 1976, Joe graduated from Colorado State University with a BA degree in business management. He worked as a buyer for Hewlett-Packard in Loveland, CO for twenty years, and then was an independent contractor for FedEx Home Delivery for another 10 years, retiring in 2013. While at Hewlett- Packard, he was active in the Sportsman’s Club, helping at the shooting range and the annual Fishing Derby, and helping cook steaks at the Hermit Park picnics. While working his way through CSU, he served on Larimer County Search and Rescue, being one of the first responders on site for the Big Thompson flood of 1976.

“Big Joe,” a gentle giant (6’8”), was well-known and admired for his fun-loving nature, fine sense of humor and deep love of his family.  He loved music and played in the Loveland area country-rock band, Becker County Line, for 17 years. He sang bass with Loveland Choral Society for over 15 years. He also loved fishing, boating, camping with his family, riding his e-bike, and traveling. He played city league volleyball ( team was called “Oh Baby”); and he was on the HP softball team (“The Lite Weights”).

Joe is survived by his wife, Pamela M. Bolesta; daughters Jenelle Frey and Shelley (Ryan) Fredricey; four grandchildren, James and Madeleine Frey, and Cadence and Finley Fredricey; sisters Peggy (Bruce) Upton, Mary (Jean) de Malvinsky,  and Laura (Michael) Thomas; and brother Murray (Agnes) Bolesta; nieces Katrina Thomas, Sara Upton, Sophia de Malvinsky, Zoe (Garth) Reynolds, Mari (Matt) Vasel, and Lori (Justin) Huiett; nephew Nikolai de Malvinsky; and grand nephews Ryland Thomas, Kairo de Malvinsky, Grey Vasel and Loic Reynolds, grand nieces Elodie Reynolds, Aleka de Malvinsky, Cali de Malvinsky, Kaia Vasel, and Lindy and Ruby Huiett. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Melinda Bart and his father-in-law Don Smith (100 years young) and friends too numerous to mention.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Joe’s name through https://bringingmusictolife.wedid.it/, https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/LovelandChoralSociety or to a charity of your choice that Joe supported. A Celebration of Life for Joe will be held at Berthoud Brewery Loveland, 1480 Cascade Ave, Unit 201, Loveland, CO 80538; on Thursday April 13th, from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM. Dress informal, light refreshments will be served. Children are welcome.

We measure the “dash”  between the two dates in an obituary not in time on Earth, but in how much we live and love. Joe lived his “dash” well.