Travis Bolch

Travis Bolch, 85, of Pampa, passed away on Saturday, April 16, 2022, in Amarillo.

Services will be at 2:00 PM Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at Central Baptist Church with Rev. Norman Rushing, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors and Crematory.

Travis was born on August 3, 1936, in Lubbock to C. L. and Allie Bolch. After graduating from high school in Big Spring, he began working as a painter on jobs all around Texas. While working on a job in Pampa, a friend introduced him to the woman who would become the love of his life, Norma Gilbreath, and they married in May 1964, building their life together for almost 58 years.

As long as anyone can remember, when Travis was asked, “How are you?,” he would reply with a grin, “Mean, ugly and awful!” And of course, nothing was further from the truth. Travis spent a lifetime being the person who would make everyone feel welcome with a joke and a laugh, whether they were longtime friends or first-time acquaintances. And he was quick to help anyone solve a problem, whether the answer was to loan a tool or roll up his sleeves and help with the work. A painter, builder, maker, and master tinkerer, he built everything from his family’s home to pretty walking sticks to neat little welded art (a favorite being little people made of nails, nuts, and bolts, with inscriptions like, “You finally drove me nuts!”). After years of running his own painting and sandblasting business, he and Norma retired and began traveling to help build churches and spend time in their RV with good friends from Pampa and their church, Central Baptist Church, where they were longtime members. They spent time in favorite Texas places including Mission, Rockport, and Lake Medina.

Travis leaves behind the work of his kindness and generosity, his loving wife, Norma of the home; two sons, Gary Bolch and wife Vickie of Jones Mills, Pennsylvania and David W. Bolch and wife Kambra of San Marcos; two grandsons, David and Matthew, and three great granddaughters, Madison, Jasmine, and Lexi.