Lonnie Leroy Bolar, 45, died January 29, 2021, while attempting to rescue people trapped in a residential structure fire.
Lonnie was born in Alva, Oklahoma, to Sara Carlson and the late Rex Bolar. In 1993, he graduated from Waynoka High School, where he was involved in 4-H, FFA, basketball, and football. After graduation, Lonnie attended Tulsa Welding School.
Lonnie joined the Waynoka Fire Department in 2006. At the time of his death, he was serving as fire chief. Lonnie had a passion for fighting fires and enjoyed attending fire trainings.
He worked as a foreman for Woods County District 3 and was a weekend heavy equipment operator for Frontier Rodeo and Luddington Cattle.
Lonnie enjoyed planning community fishing tournaments with his dad and hunting rattlesnakes with his mother. He loved NASCAR and touring the United States on his Honda Goldwing. In 2010, Lonnie opened a bar called “Scoob’s Tavern,” which became a neighborhood hangout and hosted many fundraisers to help people in the community.
Lonnie made sure that his big, blended family was “one family,” and taking care of everyone was his top priority. He was a devoted father who always put his children first. He spent most weekends camping with his family and friends. He introduced his children to dirt bikes and made sure every kid in the neighborhood had a dirt bike to ride.
He is survived by his two daughters, Destanee and Riggin Bolar; two sons, Bronc Bolar and Trigg Cunningham; his mother, Sara Carlson (Denis); two brothers, Lynn Bolar (Tippie) and Pake Carlson (Jackie); two sisters, Pebbles Luddington (Ky) and Myka Seiger (Waylon); his grandchildren, Kreaklynn, Boone, and Lariett; and many extended family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Rex Bolar, and by his daughter, Shadow Bolar.
He deeply loved his children, grandchildren, and his family. Lonnie lived and enjoyed every day as if it was his last by doing the things he loved.
Losing Lonnie Bolar was such an enormous loss to his family and this community. Lonnie lived BIG, loved BIG, and sadly enough Lonnie lost his life BIG as well. I can hear him say, “I’m going in to get them, anyone going with me?” That’s just the way Lonnie was, no challenge was too big for his great BIG HEART.
– Reva Spencer