Paul A. Bollheimer, 1919-2016—died peacefully in his sleep at 96 years of age in Houston, Texas on July 13, 2016. Services and interment will be at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home in Houston, TX. He was a 1937 graduate of Fort Loramie High School and a 2013 inductee to FLHS’s “Wall of Honor”. He led an adventurous and fulfilling life. After enlisting in the US Marine Corps in 1941, Paul completed a 5 year geophysical engineering degree at the Colorado School of Mines and worked for over forty years as a geophysical engineer. Paul played a major role in his career all over the world in the discovery and development of three super-giant oil fields.
Paul was born in Fort Loramie on December 12, 1919. While in high school, he served as president of his senior class. Paul finished first of all seniors in Shelby County Class “B” schools on an achievement test. He worked on the staff of one of Fort Loramie’s oldest newspapers, The Western Times, and at Borchers Store.
,
Paul did not shy away from adventure. As a teenager, he took up amateur boxing. Having fought a few fights above Brucken’s Café, he went on to become the Golden Gloves Champion of the Lima region in the 128-pound division. One summer he traveled through the South, selling magazines door-to-door. In August and September of 1939, Paul and his friend Ray Raterman hitch-hiked and rode trains to California and back, working as they traveled. They left with $25/each and returned with $5/each.
In 1940-41, Paul worked for a wallpaper company in northern Ohio and southern Michigan, eventually became the manager of his own store.
As the start of WW II, Paul enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving for six years. At Paris Island boot camp, he was assigned to a new glider detachment. He became crew chief for the Commander of the glider group, who flew an open cockpit, wooden, single-engine plane called the Timm (N2T1). Among 400 Marines, he scored first overall in the mechanical aptitude test. He then entered the navigation school. He became a navigator and instructor, teaching navigation to many of the pilots who served in the Pacific. He also attended Night Fighter Airborne Radar Operator School. Paul achieved the rank of Warrant Officer.
After the war, Paul attended Long Beach City College and the Colorado Schools of Mines in Golden, Colorado. He graduated as a geophysical engineer in 1951. His first job involved oil exploration for the Shell Oil Company.
In his forty years in the oil industry, he played a major role in the discovery of three super giant oil fields in “virgin territory”, all in excess of ten billion barrels of oil. The first discovery was in 1957-1959 in Tripoli, Libya, for Carter Oil Company. The second was in 1964-1965 in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, for Richfield Oil, the largest oil field in North America at that time. Paul was solely responsible for the maps used by this company to determine where to drill. The third major discovery came in 1985-1986 in Venezuela.
Paul retired in 1986 and lived in Houston, Texas where he continued to consult with the oil industry for the next ten years. Afterwards he continued to live in Houston until his death. He enjoyed genealogy, and was responsible for the comprehensive research and fact-finding for the Bollheimer Family. He was also extremely knowledgeable in the field of natural herbs, and he even processed many of his own.
Paul and his wife Jane Stugart of Williamsport, PA were married for 52 years, and she preceded him in death in 2000. He is survived by his sister, Martha (Bollheimer) Simon of Russia, OH; his brother, Richard Bollheimer of Coldwater, OH; Don and wife, Barb, Bollheimer of Minster, OH; and sister in law, Vilma Bollheimer of Piqua, OH. He was pre-deceased by brother, Homer and wife Fran Bollheimer of IL; sister Eileen (Bollheimer)Thomas of CA; brother Alfred and wife Millie Bollheimer of MI; brother Bob Bollheimer of Fort Loramie; brother in law Shep Simon of Russia; sister in law, Betty Bollheimer of Fort Loramie; and brother Kenny Bollheimer of Piqua.
He is also survived by son, Ron Bollheimer of NV; stepdaughter, Donna (Kitchen) Brossette, NV. His stepson, Ritter Allan Kitchen of TX predeceased him.
He is also survived by his granddaughter, Stephanie Bollheimer, of NY—and by step grandchildren, Jennifer (Kitchen) Lee of PA; Matthew Kitchen of PA; Michael Kitchen of TX; Suzanne (Kitchen) Jeans TX; Patrick Brossette of CA; Dede Brossette of CA; and Eric Cameron of Canada. His step grandson, Mark Brossette, predeceased him. He is also survived by ten step great grandchildren. Military services and burial at Dignity Memorial Oaks Funeral Home on July 19, 2016.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18