Paul Lafayette Bolick

Hickory, N.C. - Paul Lafayette Bolick went to his heavenly home Sept. 8, 2009.

He was born April 7, 1922, in Caldwell County on the farm of his parents, Mary Woods Bolick and Jacob Lee Bolick.

He was the last of their 14 children and is survived by a great number of nieces and nephews.

As a toddler, his father was killed in an automobile accident, but luckily, he and his mother were thrown clear of the accident as his mother held him close to her. His mother began running the Brookford Boarding House. Paul attended elementary and high school in Brookford, and in the early 1940s he attended Lenoir-Rhyne College. He then went to Granite Falls to work in the Shuford Mills office. While there, he lived with his older brother, Robert L. Bolick and his family. When World War II broke out, he was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps. His basic training was completed at Keesler Army Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss. He was sent overseas to the New Guinea Theater in the South Pacific. Soon after arrival, bombs began to fall, and they were ordered to jump into previously dug fox holes. Paul jumped in and found a soldier already blown up there; this had lasting, horrible effects on Paul. After the war, Paul completed his studies at Lenoir-Rhyne. He then worked as a teacher, motel auditor, Brookford Post Office Manager and served on Brookford Town Council. For many years, Paul was organist for his church, Brookford Baptist Church. He was a gifted and talented man, and we will miss him very much.

The funeral service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, 2009, in the chapel at Bass-Smith Funeral Home, with the Rev. Dr. George Huffman officiating.

Burial will follow in Sardis Cemetery in Hudson.

Military graveside honors will be performed by members of American Legion Post 48.