Michael Wayne Bolen was born January 4, 1948, in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Dale Carroll Bolen and Annie Maude Bolen (nee Reeves).  He died at home on May 10, 2023 after a long illness.

An only child, Mike's early years were spent in Mt. Airy, NC, where he basked in the attention from his aunts, uncle, and grandparents.  Following a house fire when he was six, the family built a home at the top of Beamer's Knob in Fancy Gap, where he spent the remainder of his childhood.  His parents, both children of the depression, instilled in him a strong work ethic, and Mike spent many summers picking cabbage for pocket money during high school and college.  A standout athlete at Hillsville High School, Mike scored the winning touchdown in the playoffs upsetting Blacksburg High School during his senior season in 1965.

With the support of his parents, Mike went off to college as a young man, first playing football at Lees-McRae College and later attending Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, where he met a fellow athlete and long-haired beauty, Sharon "Shay" Helms, on a tennis court.  Following his graduation, Mike began teaching in Greensboro, NC.  He and Shay were married on April 10, 1971, in Charlotte, NC.

Two years later, Mike and Shay welcomed their first son, Michael "Todd" and relocated from Greensboro back to Carroll County, VA, where both could teach at local schools.  In May 1977, Dustin Travis was born, completing their family of four.

Mike spent 16 years teaching Physical Education and Industrial Cooperative Training at Carroll County High School.  He was a longtime baseball and football coach, and was a mentor to hundreds of students over the years.  In the mid-1980s, he left teaching to purchase and operate Gladeville Grocery, a mainstay on Carrollton Pike for many decades.  It remains in business under the ownership of longtime friends, Stanley Patton and Bobby Lineberry.

On February 8, 1989, Mike was appointed by the Carroll County Board of Supervisors to fill a School Board vacancy for the Piper's Gap District and later elected Board Chairman. He saw the county education system through consolidation of schools, budget challenges, and program expansions before he chose not to seek reelection to a third term.

Mike spent the past two decades dedicated to his hobbies of playing golf, firearm and coin collecting, the joy of trading, and establishing long-lasting friendships. For over forty years, he had a booth at the Hillsville Flea Market, frequently enlisting the help of his wife and sons.  He traveled throughout the East Coast and Midwest, attending auctions and purchasing items to trade with others. Over the past couple decades, Mike and Shay traveled as frequently as they could, and he visited 48 states, including Hawaii, where he and Shay pinned on Todd's rank of USAF Major in the Courtyard of Heroes at Hickam-Pearl Harbor.  His favorite destinations remained Tombstone, AZ, and the lighthouse at Cape Hatteras.  He also enjoyed the company of his six grandchildren, especially when they climbed into his lap and called him Papa Bear.

Mike is survived by his wife of 52 years, Shay, two sons, Michael "Todd" (Kellee) and Dustin, and six grandchildren, Keith, Mina, Griffin, Reece, Addison, and Sasha.  He is also survived by his maternal aunts, Ruth Draughn and Minnie Loflen, both of Mt. Airy, NC, and their families, and his wife's brother Steve Helms (Glenda) of Lake Norman, NC.  In addition, he leaves behind many friends and neighbors who became like family to him.

A celebration of Mike's life will be held on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 10:30 AM at the First United Methodist Church of Hillsville with Pastor Jason Ratliff officiating.  Friends and family wishing to share their favorite memory of Mike will be invited to do so at this service.  The family will receive friends at the church following the service. Flowers or donations may be sent to First United Methodist Church of Hillsville, 225 Fulcher St; Hillsville, VA  24343.