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Dean Bolar, 76-year-old Woodward resident, passed away on Thursday, April 10, 2008 in Oklahoma City. Funeral services will be held at 2 pm Monday, April 14, 2008 at the First Christian Church in Woodward with the Rev. Chuck Shorow officiating. Interment will follow in the Elmwood Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of the Billings Funeral Home. Lewis Dean Bolar was born on Sept. 29, 1931 in Alva, Okla.; he was the son and first child of Alvin Bolar and Gertrude (McHenry) Bolar. Dean graduated from Waynoka High School in 1950. During high school, he was a starting guard for a championship high school boys‚ basketball team, but more importantly, he met his high school sweetheart, Karma (Bevis) Bolar. Dean and Karma were married in Alva on Sept. 30, 1950.
Dean enlisted in the Navy in 1951, honorably serving his country until 1955. He and Karma lived in California and Hawaii during his Navy tour, and had their first son, Dan, while in Hawaii. Returning to Alva, Dean began college at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva. He worked full-time for the Santa Fe Railroad while going to college, and still managed to graduate with his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics in just three years.
After graduation, Dean went to work for his uncle in Chetopa, Kan., and began his long banking career. He then began to work his way "up the ladder" in community banks in California from 1960 until 1979. Along the way, he worked in the California towns of Holtville, Vista, Bellflower, Lancaster, Bakersfield, and Oceanside. He was very proud to have worked as the Executive Vice President of American National Bank in Bakersfield, which grew from two branches when he began with the bank in 1968 to 27 branches when he left in 1977. He left American National Bank to become the president of West Coast National Bank in Oceanside, where he stayed until he decided to return to his Oklahoma roots in 1979 as a co-founder, chairman of the board, and president of American National Bank in Woodward. In 1989, Dean and a group of investors acquired the First State Bank of Mooreland, and in 1995, the bank opened a branch in Woodward. The bank was sold in 1997 to Central National Bank of Enid.
Until Dean became ill right before he passed away, he was very happily serving as CEO and Vice Chairman of Bank 7, and was also a consultant and friend to many other bankers in Oklahoma. He loved the business side of banking, but loved the people side of the business even more.
Dean and Karma greatly enjoyed their 28 years together in Woodward, and are blessed with an abundance of friends in Oklahoma, California, and around the country. Dean is survived by his wife, Karma, two sons, Dan Bolar and his wife Debbie of Laguna Beach, Calif., and David Bolar and his wife Kim of Bakersfield, Calif., two sisters, Mary Beth Canfield and husband Chauncey of San Antonio, Texas, and Anna Marie Erving of San Clemente, Calif. Dean was very proud of his three grandchildren, Kelley Bolar, who is attending law school in New York City, Jeffrey Bolar, who is attending college in Dallas, Texas, and Ashlee Bolar, who is attending college in Bakersfield, Calif.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, with the funeral home accepting the contributions.
Remembrances may be made on-line at www.billingsfuneralhomewoodward.com.
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