James "Jim" Virgil Bolen

James Virgil Bolen, 73, of Friendship, Maine, peacefully passed away on May 19th, 2025 from pancreatic cancer. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother. Jim was born on June 22nd 1951 at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, New Hampshire to Philip and Katherine (Johnson) Bolen.  

Jim spent most of his life in Maine, moving to Friendship the year he married his beloved wife, Beth, in 1998. They have been members of the Friendship community for the last 27 years.  

Jim was quite the carpenter and handyman doing extensive work on his various homes, as well as caretaking for numerous properties around Friendship and Cushing. He always had one foot in the ocean, doing lobstering, gillnetting, professional urchin and scallop diving and becoming for a time Harbormaster of Friendship. He took time off from Maine at one point of his life and worked for three seasons in Alaska as an Operations Manager for Superior Alaska Seafoods fish processing ship.  Jim’s last business venture was the installing and servicing of moorings, floats and ramps in the surrounding waters of Friendship. Jim finally retired and sold his business in 2023. 

Jim’s passions were gourmet foods and good books. He prided himself on his vast literary knowledge and his accomplishments in the kitchen. He and Beth loved having the family visit, always providing a wonderful spread and making good memories.  

Jim is survived by his wife Beth Bolen, sons Jeremiah and Ben Bolen and daughter Gwen Bolen Wellman, sister Debi Bolen Burnsworth, brother Kauri Davis, as well as his grandchildren Ella, Mia, Lilly, Matt, Taylor and Courtney. Besides his parents, he is preceded in death by his sister Kati Bolen Reich in 2016. There will be no funeral or memorial services. Just pass the love forward and donate to the Friendship Ambulance Auxiliary Foundation. https://www.healthyfriendship.org/