Henry Bollum

Henry Curtiss Bollum (90 years of age) was born October 13, 1932, in Red Wing, Minnesota to parents Walter and Harriet Bollum and grew up on the family general livestock farm near Goodhue in southeastern Minnesota.

Throughout his youth, Henry and brother, Curtiss, farmed with horses, milked cows, plus raised hogs and chickens and crops like most farms in the area during the 1930s -1950s. The family also had registered Shorthorn cattle.

Following graduation from Goodhue High School, Henry attended the University of Minnesota College of Agriculture until enlisting in the Minnesota National Guard and the US Army in 1954 serving active duty overseas in Austria and Korea.  After the military, Henry returned to college at the University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin, River Falls - graduating in 1960.

Upon college graduation, Henry was employed with the Soil Conservation Service in Owatonna, Minnesota from 1960-64, and later went on to head the Faribault County Soil Conservation Service when that office opened in 1964 at Blue Earth, Minnesota.

A long term 20 year career working with area farmers and young people in the 4-H program started in 1968 as the Faribault County Assistant County Agent. After a short year as County Agent at St. Peter, Minnesota, Henry returned to Blue Earth as the County Agent to direct the program there for the University of Minnesota Extension Service. Through his work , Henry had the pleasure of getting to know a great number of  farm families through 4-H programs, livestock judging contests, and events such as the annual county fair, Minnesota State Fair , State Market Show and Ak-Sar-Ben Show trips.

After retiring from the Extension Service in 1988, Henry became part owner of Nelson Realty in Blue Earth where he sold farms and farmland until 2009.

In 1954 Henry married Marilyn Friedrich of Red Wing, Minnesota and raised their family of four children including Wayne, Randy, Terry and Cindy until Marilyn’s passing in 2011.  Henry and Sandra Syverson were married in 2013 and lived in Fairmont, Minnesota until his passing.

Involvement in raising quality livestock was a large part of Henry’s interests and activities of his family over the years.  Registered Shorthorn cattle was the focus in the ‘50s and ‘60s. The family was one of the early day Limousin cattle farms in North America, and the childrens’ 4-H and FFA projects also included registered Hampshire hogs.

Several area and state organizations benefitted from Henry’s experience and advice over the years. Henry was the secretary of the Minnesota Shorthorn Association, and a charter member of the Minnesota Limousin Association. Twenty-five years of work was put into the Minnesota Livestock Breeders Association, and 30 years as a member of the Minnesota 4-H Livestock Auction Committee.  County service groups included Director on the Faribault County Township Officers Board, Farm Bureau Board, Planning and Zoning Committee, and Supervisor on the Pilot Grove Township Board. Henry was also proud of becoming an Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity alumnus at the University of Minnesota. 
Henry will be remembered for his great sense of humor and his joke telling. He enjoyed visiting with people and keeping in touch with family and friends through phone calls. 

Henry was preceded in death by wife Marilyn, son Wayne and daughter-in-law Jean of Northfield, MN. Survivors include his wife, Sandra, of Fairmont, MN; son Randy (Rhonda) of Airdrie, Alberta, Canada; son Terry (Heidi) of Spokane, Washington; daughter Cindy (Neal) Grotsun of Cold Spring, MN; brother, Curtiss (Vonnie) Bollum of Goodhue, MN; and 10 grandchildren.
Henry is also survived by Sandra’s children: son Jeffrey (Angie) Garbers of Fairmont, MN; daughter Jamie (Nick) Doescher of Jackson, MN; son Scott Syverson of Springfield, MO; and 5 grandchildren.