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James Peter “Jim” Bolan

James Peter “Jim” Bolan from Madison died Oct. 16. Born Feb. 28, 1958, Jim was a loving husband, dear brother, and son, dedicated uncle, beloved teacher, and friend to many. Jim was known for his unending kindness, humor, intelligence, patience, and courage. As a young child, Jim was diagnosed with a more rare form of muscular dystrophy (Becker or BMD), a progressive and debilitating illness. In the face of increasing muscle weakness that eventually led to him not being able to leave his bed, he approached every day focusing on the things he could do and the life he could lead. Remarkably, Jim embraced each day with a positive outlook. Expressions of bitterness or complaint never left his lips.

He married his wife Donna Giddings in 1992 after meeting as jazz announcers at WWUH FM in Hartford. Their love of music kept them involved in the Hartford jazz scene for decades. She and Jim were a compassionate and loving couple throughout his challenges and medical struggles.

Jim loved modern history and political science. He graduated from Avon Old Farms High School in 1976, attended Kenyon College, and graduated from Connecticut College in 1980. In 1981, he received a Master of Arts in teaching from Brown University. His memory was remarkable. His knowledge of the modern history of humanity was vast. From 1984 to 2014, he was a beloved social studies teacher at Daniel Hand High School in Madison. He served as an inspiration to his students and colleagues alike. His passion for learning and knowledge were his most effective teaching tools. His character, courage, and perseverance were how he taught all of us about life. Jim was also a dedicated sports enthusiast, a lifelong Red Sox, Green Bay Packers, and Hartford Whalers fan. He followed those teams closely but enjoyed watching many sports, knowledgeable about them all.

Jim was deeply loved by his parents, Ruth and Peter Bolan (both deceased); wife Donna; his sister Gail and brother Tom; brother-in-law David; as well as nieces and nephews.

Visitation was on Oct. 27, followed by a brief service at Guilford Funeral Home, 115 Church St. A Celebration of Life will be scheduled later, for which information will be forthcoming. To help defray the funeral and medical costs, donations may be made to the GoFundMe account “Funeral Expenses For Jim Bolan.”

To share a memory or leave condolences, visit www.guilfordfuneralhome.com.