Ray "Dean" Bolden

Ray Dean Bolden, age 85, of Carlisle, Ohio passed away unexpectedly at home on August 27, 2025.

He was born on January 24, 1940, in Sneedville, Tennessee, to the late Carson and Lucy Bolden.

Dean dedicated 30 years of his life to his career as a Heavy Equipment Operator, retiring from the Local 18 International Union of Operating Engineers. His reliability and strong work ethic were not only hallmarks of his professional life but also of his personal character. He found joy in fishing, spending countless hours working the yard, tending his garden, and watching Nascar. Most importantly, he cherished spending time with his family, especially his great grandkids.

Dean was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Joan Sue Bolden, and sons, James Dean Bolden and Larry Wayne Bolden; daughter, Linda Faye Ballinger; and siblings, Vernie Seals, Billie Rosenbaum, Icie Harvey-Howard, Carl Bolden, James Bolden, Roy Bolden, and Bessie Buell.

He is survived by his brother, Rueben (Joyce) Bolden; sister, Shirley Collins; daughter, Donna (Mac Brinegar) Johnson; grandchildren, Brooke (John) Macke, Lesley (Devin) Moyer, Collin Bolden, Dillon (Kathryn) Ballinger, and Amirah Ballinger; and great grandchildren, Henry, Harrison, and Hudson Macke, Rosalie and Blair Bolden, Conner and McKenna Smith, along with many nieces and nephews. Dean will be deeply missed and forever remembered by his family.

Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 4, 2025 at Newcomer Funeral Home, 3940 Kettering Blvd. Service will begin at 12:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial to follow at Highland Memorial Cemetery in Miamisburg. Dean will be laid to rest with his wife, Joan and daughter, Linda.

To share a memory of Dean or leave a special message for his family, please visit the guestbook below.