Gastineau Channel Memories

Bolyan, Lawrence

Clyde E. Bolyan

Lawrence was born in 1924 in Yugoslavia, the son of George Bolyan?s sister. He immigrated along with his sister Dace in 1937, and was adopted by George and Helen Bolyan. He received most of his schooling using a Calvert correspondence course from the University of Nebraska. He did attend school in Juneau several times and graduated in the Class of 1943. After graduation, he entered the Army and was soon sent overseas. After his discharge he finished his education at the U. of Nebraska graduating with a degree in Biology and Science. He returned to Alaska and taught school at the Independence Mine and also at Chignik. He liked teaching and returned to college for more education where he received his Master?s degree in Education at the U. of Nebraska. He returned to Alaska and taught in the Anchorage school system for 10 years. He eventually moved to California. He married Martha Horacek who was from Wilbur, Nebraska, but they married in Palmer, Alaska. They had two daughters, Jean Marie and Lara, who were each born in Alaska before it became a state. Their son Benjamin was born in California. After retiring, he moved to Lakeport, California, where he died in 1997.