The Life of Vernon Thomas Bolleter
Vernon T. Bolleter died peacefully November 30th at ninety years of age at the Rosewood Retirement and Assisted Living Community in Lafayette, Louisiana
Vernon was born December 15, 1925 in Lufkin, Texas to Cyril Thomas Bolleter and Blanche Inez Odum Bolleter. He was one of five children raised in the small town of Lytle, Texas where he attended school and worked on a peanut farm for spending money as a youth. By the age of sixteen, in 1941, he had learned carpentry as a helper building army barracks in Lackland, TX and was raising flocks of 200 chickens to sell at market to help the family.
During his high school years, he lettered two years in the football program, and upon graduation applied to join the Navy. He was not accepted due to his age, but upon his seventeenth birthday, in 1942, he was allowed to join the United States Marine Corps. His math skills earned him an assignment to combat engineering school which included his favorite training, demolitions. And by the Spring of 1944, he was shipped off to fight in the Pacific Theater of Operations on the Island of Saipan. Within eighteen days he was wounded while fighting as a flame thrower, then sent home to recuperate; but, without the use of a trigger finger, he was honorably discharged from the Marines having received his Purple Heart.
After the war, Vernon was accepted into Rice Institute (now Rice University) to study architecture; however, after a summer job designing window details he decided to pursue a B.S. degree in the college of Geology at the University of Houston. With a penchant for science, skills in math, and love of business, Vernon joined the oil and gas exploration business, discovering oil fields for various companies which were purchased by Tenneco in 1966. By 1970, following his success for Tenneco in the North Sea, he was promoted to Chief Geologist. In 1981, Tenneco promoted Vernon to V.P. and Exploration Manager, a position that required worldwide traveling, but which also caused him to long for the more simple study for oil and gas. By 1987 he retired from Tenneco, then used his time to return to what he loved, studying the oil and gas basins around the world, especially their similarities, looking for patterns to reveal the next "big find".
In 1965, Vernon married Sandra Elaine Reed, who was his companion and loving wife during and in the advancement of his career, as well as his many travels. They both liked hunting and fishing, entertaining, and loved and enjoyed their family life.
Vernon was preceded in death by his mother and father; by his wife Sandra Reed Bolleter, and his step son Nicholas Reed Voorhies; his brother William Bolleter; and his sister, Marilyn Isidori.
He is survived by his sister, Melva Lanier; his brother, Robert Bolleter; his daughter, Cynthia Bujnoch and her husband, Roman Bujnoch of Magnolia, Texas; his son, Jim Bolleter and his wife, Debbie of Wellington, Florida; his step daughter, Rev. Dr. Nedra Voorhies and her husband, Rev. Dr. Donald Denton; his granddaughter, Courtney Williams and her husband, Travis Williams; his grandsons, David Voorhies and his wife Pam, Matthew Thomas Fossett and his wife Michelle, Alexander Vest, Michael Bolleter and Tyler Bolleter; his great granddaughters, Mayson Fossett, Anabelle Fossett; Meghan Voorhies, Lauren Voorhies and Brandy McNeil; his brother-in-law, Dwight Andrus, Jr. and numerous nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers are Matthew Fossett, Alexander Vest, Michael Bolleter, Tyler Bolleter, David Voorhies, Dwight W. Andrus IV, Adam Andrus and Ansley Robinson.
Honorary Pallbearers are Dwight W. Andrus Jr., Mike Bernard, and Roman Bujnoch.
Services will be held this Saturday, December 3, 2016, at 1:00 PM in Martin & Castille''s La Fleur de Lis Chapel, 600 E. Farrel Rd. He will be interred in a family plot at Lafayette Memorial Park Cemetery in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Rev. Richard Humphries, Pastor of Asbury United Methodist Church will officiate the services.
The family will receive friends Saturday from 11:00 AM until time of the services at Martin & Castille''s SOUTHSIDE location.
His family would like to thank all those who helped with his care during these last couple of years, especially Pernella Bernard and Mike Bernard. In lieu of flowers or donations to the family, memorial contributions in Vernon''s name may be made to NSI Hospice, 1025 Camellia Blvd., Suite 201, Lafayette, LA 70508.
Martin & Castille, SOUTHSIDE, 600 E. Farrel Rd., Lafayette, LA 70508, 337 984-2811.
Vernon was born December 15, 1925 in Lufkin, Texas to Cyril Thomas Bolleter and Blanche Inez Odum Bolleter. He was one of five children raised in the small town of Lytle, Texas where he attended school and worked on a peanut farm for spending money as a youth. By the age of sixteen, in 1941, he had learned carpentry as a helper building army barracks in Lackland, TX and was raising flocks of 200 chickens to sell at market to help the family.
During his high school years, he lettered two years in the football program, and upon graduation applied to join the Navy. He was not accepted due to his age, but upon his seventeenth birthday, in 1942, he was allowed to join the United States Marine Corps. His math skills earned him an assignment to combat engineering school which included his favorite training, demolitions. And by the Spring of 1944, he was shipped off to fight in the Pacific Theater of Operations on the Island of Saipan. Within eighteen days he was wounded while fighting as a flame thrower, then sent home to recuperate; but, without the use of a trigger finger, he was honorably discharged from the Marines having received his Purple Heart.
After the war, Vernon was accepted into Rice Institute (now Rice University) to study architecture; however, after a summer job designing window details he decided to pursue a B.S. degree in the college of Geology at the University of Houston. With a penchant for science, skills in math, and love of business, Vernon joined the oil and gas exploration business, discovering oil fields for various companies which were purchased by Tenneco in 1966. By 1970, following his success for Tenneco in the North Sea, he was promoted to Chief Geologist. In 1981, Tenneco promoted Vernon to V.P. and Exploration Manager, a position that required worldwide traveling, but which also caused him to long for the more simple study for oil and gas. By 1987 he retired from Tenneco, then used his time to return to what he loved, studying the oil and gas basins around the world, especially their similarities, looking for patterns to reveal the next "big find".
In 1965, Vernon married Sandra Elaine Reed, who was his companion and loving wife during and in the advancement of his career, as well as his many travels. They both liked hunting and fishing, entertaining, and loved and enjoyed their family life.
Vernon was preceded in death by his mother and father; by his wife Sandra Reed Bolleter, and his step son Nicholas Reed Voorhies; his brother William Bolleter; and his sister, Marilyn Isidori.
He is survived by his sister, Melva Lanier; his brother, Robert Bolleter; his daughter, Cynthia Bujnoch and her husband, Roman Bujnoch of Magnolia, Texas; his son, Jim Bolleter and his wife, Debbie of Wellington, Florida; his step daughter, Rev. Dr. Nedra Voorhies and her husband, Rev. Dr. Donald Denton; his granddaughter, Courtney Williams and her husband, Travis Williams; his grandsons, David Voorhies and his wife Pam, Matthew Thomas Fossett and his wife Michelle, Alexander Vest, Michael Bolleter and Tyler Bolleter; his great granddaughters, Mayson Fossett, Anabelle Fossett; Meghan Voorhies, Lauren Voorhies and Brandy McNeil; his brother-in-law, Dwight Andrus, Jr. and numerous nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers are Matthew Fossett, Alexander Vest, Michael Bolleter, Tyler Bolleter, David Voorhies, Dwight W. Andrus IV, Adam Andrus and Ansley Robinson.
Honorary Pallbearers are Dwight W. Andrus Jr., Mike Bernard, and Roman Bujnoch.
Services will be held this Saturday, December 3, 2016, at 1:00 PM in Martin & Castille''s La Fleur de Lis Chapel, 600 E. Farrel Rd. He will be interred in a family plot at Lafayette Memorial Park Cemetery in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Rev. Richard Humphries, Pastor of Asbury United Methodist Church will officiate the services.
The family will receive friends Saturday from 11:00 AM until time of the services at Martin & Castille''s SOUTHSIDE location.
His family would like to thank all those who helped with his care during these last couple of years, especially Pernella Bernard and Mike Bernard. In lieu of flowers or donations to the family, memorial contributions in Vernon''s name may be made to NSI Hospice, 1025 Camellia Blvd., Suite 201, Lafayette, LA 70508.
Martin & Castille, SOUTHSIDE, 600 E. Farrel Rd., Lafayette, LA 70508, 337 984-2811.
