Sammie Jeff “Sam” Bolton, Sr., 78, of Paris, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, at Texoma Medical Center in Denison.
Bright-Holland Funeral Home has scheduled services for 11:00 a.m. Friday, Sept. 18th, at East Paris Baptist Church with Dr. Danny Moody & Rev. Wade White officiating. Burial will follow in Rockford Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 – 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Sam, the son of Jeff Curtis Bolton & Vinnie V. Bowman Bolton, was born June 4, 1942, in Biardstown. He began school at Delmar, and when the family moved to Paris he attended J.G. Wooten and graduated from Paris High School.
At the age of 12, he began working for Joe Hillhouse at his grocery store. Later he worked for Morris Kimbell on the K Bar Ranch. Sam & his wife, Reva, owned and operated Premier Gas, and when they sold the business they bought Motel City Gulf. In 1983, he went into the convenience store business that was known near and far as Bo-Mart. In 1995, he brought in two partners, Hollie Swatsell and Hoyd Branch, and they opened Bo-Mart #2 and Bo-Mart #3. The stores were sold in 2002, and the Motel City Gulf building was converted into a tire store. In 2004, he joined Lowry Chevrolet, which became Paris Chevrolet, where he worked for eleven years. Sam retired for one week and went to work for Paris Farm & Ranch until October 2019. Sam could be recognized just by his laugh, and this laugh was contagious. He had a great love of Bluegrass Music and was a part of several groups; Simply Gospel, The Hard to Git Bluegrass Band for 10 years, and for the last five years the Bolton Family Bluegrass Band. He and James Martin had a radio program, Bluegrass Review, on KPLT Radio for many years. Sam was a member of East Paris Baptist Church and had served on the board of The Cowboy Church in the Camp where he was a tireless worker. He had served on the board of the Red River Valley Fair Association and was always willing to help in anyway.
He was an avid wood worker and found pleasure in building furniture for his family. Easter of this year he built crosses for the homes of his family and an eight foot cross for Wade White’s cabin. Sam enjoyed fishing and the outdoors.
He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant brother, Norris Lee Bolton, and a sister, Recie Ruthart.
Survivors include his wife, Reva Varner Bolton, whom he married in 1961, building 59 years of family and memories, two children, Jeff Bolton & wife Rae Jean, and Kay Bolton Hayes & husband Ronald all of Paris, grandchildren; Jeffrey Bolton, Russell Hayes & wife Brittney, Abbie Hayes, and Joshua Bolton, three great grandchildren; Kacen Hayes, Rebekah Hayes, and Everley Hayes, a sister, Peggy Head & husband Denny of Blossom, a brother-in-law, Ken Ruthart of Powderly, three nephews; Dickey Ruthart & Elayne, L. D. Ruthart & wife Karen, and Chris Head, along with a plethora of friends including a very special friend, Wade White, and special friends, Sandy & Jim Lassiter.
Casket bearers will be: Burrell Ashford, Denny Head, Chris Head, Dickey Ruthart, L. D. Ruthart, Ronald Hayes, and Jerry Bowers.
To leave a message or tribute for the family please visit www.brighthollandfuneralhome.com
