Virginia Monfort Bolen of Hamilton, MT passed away peacefully on June 27, 2025, at the age of 95. She was born in 1930 to Virginia Taylor Monfort, RN and Dr. John Merrell Monfort of Atlanta, GA.
She graduated from North Fulton High School, Ward Belmont Junior College (now Belmont University) Nashville TN and The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Class of 1950.
Virginia is preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, William Cornelius (WC) Bolen. They lived for several years in Atlanta, GA before moving to Hilton Head Island, SC for 20 years and retiring to Hamilton, MT in 1991.
She worked at various jobs throughout her working career; as an Engineering Assistant at Western Electric, a Draftsman at Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, a Draftsman at GE, Accounting at GE Credit Corporation, an Internal Revenue Tax Examiner and retired from United States Postal Service as a Carrier.
In 1947, Virginia attended the Kentucky Derby in Louisville and became an avid horse racing fan and study of Thoroughbred pedigrees thereafter. She delighted in placing occasional 1- and 2-dollar bets on Triple Crown and Breeders Cup races. She attended the Breeders Cup as often as possible, and her handicapping account never saw red. She loved horses, grew up riding and enjoyed trail riding on her mules Peggy Sue and Miss Kitty in Hamilton.
She was a member of the traditional Episcopal Church.
She was a life member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority.
Past President of the Atlanta Garden Club.
Past President of the Hamilton Garden Club.
Virginia was a Master Gardener from the first class of Ravalli County. She created and maintained lovely gardens around her home. Her wide array of award winning house plants were shared throughout the valley with cuttings everywhere she went. One of her frequent recipients of plants named all her plants Virginia (“because only a Master Gardener could remember the nomenclature”) and when her 7 year old daughter saw the same plants at a neighbor’s house she exclaimed, “Look at all the Virginias!”
She was a lifetime member of the Knotty Knitters Guild of the Bitterroot in recognition of knitting 460 pairs of knockers. She learned to knit as a young girl and won many ribbons at the Ravalli County fair for many types of sweaters.
Along with knitting and gardening, she also enjoyed quilting, playing in duplicate bridge tournaments and staying abreast of current affairs.
In 2008, she published “Finders Keepers,” a true account of her triumph over a justice system run amok in Ravalli County when she was falsely accused of felony theft.
She loved all animals and volunteered often for the Montana Spay/Neuter Task Force and the Bitterroot Humane Association.
Virginia is survived by sons Robert Monfort Bolen of Hamilton, MT, William Bailey Bolen (Carol Ervin) of Wadmalaw Is., S.C., daughter Laura Bolen Quarles (William Scott) of Anderson, SC, her granddaughter Virginia Taylor Quarles, BSN, RN of Charleston, SC., and her sister Lela Monfort Hollabaugh of Nashville, TN.
Following her wishes, no formal memorial service will be held. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com She asked that remembrances be given to the Bitterroot Humane Association or the charity of your choice.