John Bolger

Whitefish Bay — Entered eternal peace at the age of 56 on September 5, 2026, from a heart attack. John is survived by his wife, Caroline (Kerry) Kubly Bolger, and his loving sons, Michael Kubly, John Conley Patrick, and Charles Patrick Bolger. He is also survived by his dear mother, Virginia (Ginny) Bolger; his sister Jennifer Bolger Breceda, brother-in-law Enrique Breceda, and nephew, Faolan (Finn) Breceda. John is reunited in Heaven with his loving father, T. Michael Bolger. He is also reunited in Heaven with his paternal grandparents, Patrick E. & Mary F. Bolger, and his maternal grandparents, Gerald L. Empey & Harriet Hunt Yelton, and his step-grandfather, Wilmer E. Yelton. John will be affectionately remembered by his large, closely knit family and many dear cousins. He will also be sadly missed by a large network of close friends.

John was born on October 25, 1969, in Chicago, Illinois. His family moved to Milwaukee, where he grew up and graduated from Marquette University High School in 1988. He proudly attended Boston College, graduating cum laude in 1992 with a degree in English. A studious philomath, he went on to earn his Master of Arts degree in English and Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (‘97) and then pursued two doctorate degrees - one in English and Creative Writing from UWM (‘01) and the other, a Juris Doctorate from Marquette University Law School (‘03). Hanging out his own shingle, John started a legal practice focusing on litigation, intellectual property, and appellate law, including serving pro bono clients. Eventually, he developed a real estate portfolio and managed various commercial and residential properties. John married a childhood friend and the love of his life, Kerry Kubly Bolger, and they raised three wonderful boys together.

A prolific and talented writer, John discovered his passion for creative writing in high school through his Jesuit mentors and wonderful teachers, who nurtured his gift. He published several pieces in “The Stylus” at Boston College; he won the Annual Faculty Fiction Award when he taught a variety of writing classes at UWM, and he was a published member of the Marquette Intellectual Property Law Review during law school. John was always in the middle of writing a novel, working on a short story or poem, and recently formed a writing workshop to collaborate with local writers. He was also a self-taught guitarist and singer-songwriter and formed a popular local Milwaukee band called Waking Roland, best remembered for frequent late-night shows at Linneman’s in Riverwest in the late 1990’s. He mostly loved playing guitar and hosting FaceTime jamming sessions with his son, Conley.

John grew up going to Camp Minikani as a camper, explorer, counselor, held various leadership roles, and ultimately served on the Board of Directors for many years. It was a magical and special place for John as he devoted his summers to mentoring young campers, working in the corral (despite his allergies), and teaching kids new skills like archery, riflery, and canoeing. He especially loved guiding young campers through the “Raggers” program, which helps kids cultivate core values such as honesty, caring, respect, and responsibility through goal-setting and self-reflection. After leaving his summer camp roles, he shared his legal expertise and helped form the Minikani alumni group. He also wrote a history of Camp Minikani: “Growing and Changing: The First Seventy-Five Years.” John proudly watched as his three sons followed in his footsteps, attending camp as young campers, and now, as counselors, guiding the next generation of campers.

John loved to ski on water or snow. When not at Minikani, he spent time “Up North” making precious memories with his family and friends on Lakes Minocqua and Katherine. He was a Min-Aqua Bat and performed in their amateur water ski shows. He grew up snow skiing in the Rocky Mountains on vacations with family and friends and continued that tradition with his own family.

He never missed his sons’ sporting events, either as a spectator or a coach. John helped coach his sons’ soccer and downhill ski racing teams, and was very proud when the boys were the co-captains of the teams. John will be remembered fondly by the many students he coached on the Whitefish Bay High School Ski Team.

A staunch Packer fan, John equally enjoyed sacred trips to Lambeau with friends, or watching “the Pack” win from home. An enthusiastic golfer, John played as much golf as he could and loved the challenge of the game. He participated in many “Ryder Cup” tournaments over the years with a multitude of good friends. John was also an avid biker and taught weekly spinning classes at the local gym and volunteered with the Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation. Tennis and paddle were other favorite pastimes of his.

Most of all, John adored and was proud of his three sons and focused his life’s purpose on them.

Visitation will be held on Friday, September 18, 2026 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., with a Rosary prayer service beginning at 7:00 p.m., at Feerick Funeral Home, 2025 E. Capitol Dr., Shorewood, WI 53211. A Mass of Christian Burial, celebrating John’s life of devotion to his family, faith, and community, will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Monica Parish, 5681 N. Santa Monica Blvd, Whitefish Bay, WI 53217. A reception will take place following the Mass. An interment ceremony in Minocqua, WI will follow at a later date.

The family requests that memorials in John’s name be made to Camp Minikani’s “Camp For All Fund,” or a charity of your choosing. In lieu of flowers, please consider planting a tree in John’s memory.