On the 15th day of May, 2019, the Lord peacefully called home his child, Ann Bolt, at the age of 87 while being cared for at Pioneer Ridge after a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s.
Born November 22, 1931, in Drachten, Friesland, Holland, to parents Louie and Geraldine Ypma. She immigrated with her family to Fort William, Canada in February 1951. There she grouped together with other Dutch Reformed immigrants and was a lifelong member of the First Christian Reformed Church. This is where she met Harold Bolt and they were married in June of 1955. They started a dairy farm in Nolalu, Ontario that year. They had two children, Brian and Geraldine. In 1962, they moved their dairy farm operation to Highway 61, Slate River, until their retirement in 1987 when they moved to Little Norway Road. After her husband’s passing in 2004, Ann remained there until 2009; she then moved to Jasper Place. She remained there until 2016 when her Alzheimer’s forced her to move to Pioneer Ridge. Her strong faith was always important to her and she loved to sing at the ‘homes for the aged’ with other members of her church. She loved spending time with her 6 grandchildren and was fortunate enough to meet her very first great-grandchild. She was an avid reader, loved flowers, gardening, crocheting and needlepoint.
She is survived by her children Brian (Dina) and Geraldine Blanchet (Brian MacPherson), grandchildren Miranda (Ronald) van den Berg, Judy Bolt (Steve), Harold Bolt, and their mother Mieke Bolt. Natasha Blanchet, Nick Blanchet (Lynnsey), and Hannah Dubie, and great-grandson Branson van den Berg. Her siblings Ellen (Don) Tenhave, John (Carine) Ypma, and Cye (Cathy) Ypma. Sisters-in-law Eunice Voetberg, Susan VanderWees, Tinie Doppenberg, Trina Bolt, and Janet Bolt; brother-in-law Cor (Fenny) Bolt. And survived by many nieces and nephews. Predeceased by her husband of 49 years Harold Bolt; parents Louie and Geraldine Ypma; sister Betty and her husband George Ypma; and sister-in-law Henny Ypma. Brothers and sisters-in-law Anne and John Toering, Robert and Elsie Bolt, Eddy Bolt, Peter Bolt, Sam and Jansje Bolt, John Voetberg, Len VanderWees, and Bill Doppenberg.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 21 from 7-9pm at First Christian Reformed Church, 572 West Arthur Street. Family and friends will meet at First Christian Reformed Church at 12:45pm for a private family burial at Stanley Hill cemetery followed by a memorial celebration service at First Christian Reformed Church on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 at 2:30 pm with Pastor Joe Hamilton officiating.
Memorial donations in honour of Ann Bolt will be gratefully received for Thunder Bay Christian School or the Alzheimer’s Society.
