William H. Bolden, Iii

William H. Bolden, III, 76, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, passed away on Monday, May 6, 2019, at Whitehall Manor. Born June 3, 1942, in Washington D.C., he was the son of the late William H., Jr., and Marion Florence (Lamothe) Bolden.

William served our country honorably as a part of  the United States Army. He was employed as a police officer in Philadelphia and later served with the state police for 25 years, most of the time as a corporal, before retiring in 1996. He worked out of about eight barracks, including Fogelsville, Dublin and what is now called Belfast.

William is well known for the Bolden Decree with Judge Greene.This decree gave minorities more opportunities to be accepted into the state police. Before the Bolden et al. vs. the Pennsylvania State Police et al. was filed, approximately 60 minority troopers were employed by the state. Shortly after a federal judge lifted the rules that were required by Pennsylvania, the number leaped to more than 550 minorities employed by the state. Because of William, this opened up doors for minorities not only in Pennsylvania, but across the nation. William was also a member of St. Catharine of Siena in Allentown and enjoyed singing in their choir for many years. He was also a life-long member of the Knights of Columbus.

William loved classical music and he had a love for all music in general. He was a friendly and outgoing person who had a huge heart. He was an extremely social person, especially in his later years at the nursing home. Most importantly, he was a great father and grandfather. He will be truly missed by all who were blessed to know him.

William is survived by daughter, Natasha E. Bolden, Bernville; and grandson, Quinn W. Campion, Bernville. He is also survived by four brothers and two sisters, all of Philadelphia.

A memorial service for William will be held at a later date. Contributions may be made in Williams memory to help defray funeral costs to the Miller funeral home, 137 Fairview Street, Lehighton, PA 18235