Joseph A. Bolsega, Sr.

Joseph A. Bolsega, Sr., 74, left this world with stories worth telling on Friday, January 23, 2026.  Screaming into the world on September 8, 1951, in East Chicago in the Harbor, known for being the life of the party, Joe embarked on his next adventure still sharing laughter with everyone around him.

Joe was a man of many nicknames depending on the crowd that was surrounding him at the time.  His former coworkers coined the name, “Bubba,” which was picked up by every male in the Bolsega family going forward.  When he was playing a square in a football pool, he was “JAB.” When asked who his mama was, the answer was always, “Joe Mama!”  His favorites though were what his loving wife, Michelle, called him when he was on the good list, “Honey,” “Dad,” by his two favorite children, Jaci and Joe Jr, and “Dzia Dzia,” by the people who adored him most – his grandchildren: Duke, Zoey (his girlfriend), JoeJoe and Lucas. 

Over his 29-year tenure at GATX as the Quality Control Manager at the East Chicago Plant 2 and the Chicago office, Joe’s love of trains transferred to everyone in the family especially when being stuck by a train in Griffith and counting the GATX cars that passed.  

Being an avid audiophile and back when Joe was still chasing life on his own two feet, the Bolsegas would spend many a night listening to the stereo in the basement with Joe being their DJ.  Michelle and Joe would sing to each other, especially Meatloaf’s “Paradise by the Dashboard Lights,” dance, and live in the moment – likely while the kids were roller skating, fighting, or eating his Combos.  Whether it was an old cowboy ballad, an 80’s cult classic, or a Polka that he heard at a St. Stan’s Valentine’s Dance, he knew all the words. Joe’s love of music transferred to his daughter who he quizzed regularly: “Who sings this?  What year? What album?” 

Joe loved Jeopardy too and would have destroyed anyone in the music category. His wife knowing his love for Jeopardy, would watch the episode ahead of him, get the final clue answer, and later, when Joe and Michelle were watching together, she would “correctly” answer the final clue leaving Joe befuddled every time.

Joe was an avid fisherman and taught his son how to catch and filet fish that weren’t “potato chips.” Their prized memory together was fishing at his old boy scout camp, Camp Wright, dropping their lines and reeling them in as fast as they could – while avoiding the snakes that were everywhere. They came home with enough fish for Wigilia and plenty of fish fries.

His grandchildren were the apples of his eyes, and he created YouTube music video playlists for each of them.  From the original theme to the Mickey Mouse Club, “Saturday Night at the Movies,” train noises or the Notre Dame Fight Song, the grandkids loved to lay with Dzia Dzia, listen to their songs while he played the accordion on them, eat blueberries, spit up in his cave, and talk about boom booms, poops, booger stories, and all the gross things that kids love. 

Joe was something to everyone: a chauffer (with a lead foot), the gullible one (especially if it involved a ’57 Chevy or a bowling tournament), the Polka King of the Midwest (rivaling Gus Polinski), the BS-er (aka ‘Beer Talk’), a rumbler, the Miller High Life crusher, and Notre Dame’s biggest fan- all of which makes saying goodbye even harder.

Those who carry on his legacy are Joe’s wife of 44-years, Michelle A. Bolsega (nee Buchholz); daughter, Jaci (Jim) McDonald of O’Fallon, IL; son, Joe Jr. (Laura) of Valparaiso, IN; four grandchildren, Duke and Zosia (Zoey) McDonald, Joseph (JoeJoe) and Lucas Bolsega; his faithful four-legged friend, Dori; one brother, Tom of Winter Springs, FL; three sisters – Mary Ann (Jeff) Augustine of Roselawn, IN, Adele Campbell of Las Vegas, NV, and Carol (Joe) Rajchel of Henderson, NV; cousins; countless nieces and nephews; and friends.

Memorial Services will be held at Hillside Funeral Home & Cremation Center – 8941 Kleinman Road, Highland, IN, 46322 – on Friday, February 6, 2026 from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm with prayer service at 5:00 pm and Catholic Mass on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at 10:00 am at St. Mary’s Church – 525 N Broad St. Griffith, IN, 46319.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Unity Hospice.

Joe would want us all to be happy that we had 74 years with him and not be sad that it’s over.  Overall though he would want you to: “Smacznego!”

For additional information, please contact Hillside Funeral Home & Cremation Center Konnie Kuiper - Michael Kuiper-Vass by calling us at 219-838-0800 or visiting us at www.hillsidefhcares.com

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