Larry Kenneth Bolling, PhD
(20 February 1948 – 3 August 2025)
Beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, missionary, professor, and wordsmith.
Dr. Larry Kenneth Bolling, a lifelong learner, devoted missionary, and professor, passed away peacefully on August 3, 2025. He was a man whose heartbeat to the rhythm of words, faith, and service; and whose jokes, though often met with a low 3.5 on a 10-point scale, were delivered with genuine sincerity.
Larry held a PhD and dedicated much of his life to education and ministry, merging academics with outreach. His deep faith was the foundation of his life’s work, taking him across cultures and continents as he shared his love for language, knowledge, and God. Gifted in many languages, he loved connecting with people in their native tongue, often embarrassing his family at restaurants.
He is survived by his seven children who he shared with Toni K. Bolling, Susan (Jason) Brown, Amy (Marco Zuccari) Bolling, Nancy Bolling, Paul (Sam) Bolling, Katie (Ana) Bolling, Laura Bolling, and Josh (Peyton) Bolling; each of whom carries forward his legacy of curiosity and good humor.
Larry was a proud grandfather to fifteen grandchildren: Sara, Mikey, Alex, Ricky, Nikki, Kyle, Alan, Ian, Filippo, Ethan, Simone, Logan, Reaghan, Wilder, and Winnie. He was also blessed with seven great-grandchildren: Justin, Bella, Lily, Rose, Oliver, Theodore, and Ophelia.
Those who knew Larry will remember his encyclopedic knowledge, his passion for languages, and his basketball skills. He was, at his core, a man of faith who helped many people find their path to salvation.
The Kid will be dearly missed. The strum of his guitar will be fondly remembered, and his signature laugh forever cherished.
– Obituary provided by the family.
On Sunday, August 10, a visitation will be held at 2 p.m. with a Celebration of Life Memorial Service to follow at 3 p.m. at The Franklin Springs PHC (260 Springs St., Franklin Springs, GA 30639). Service will be officiated by Pastor Harrison Lampley.
A Note from World Missions Ministries
On Behalf of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church World Missions Ministries (WMM) family, we honor the life and legacy of former missionary, Dr. Larry Bolling, and share our deepest condolences with his family as they mourn his passing.
Dr. Bolling and his wife, Toni, were appointed missionaries by the World Missions Board in 1975 and left shortly thereafter for language school in Costa Rica. During their time of service, they lived and ministered in Argentina, France, and Italy.
With an Associate’s Degree from Emmanuel University, a Bachelor’s from Lee College, extra studies from Southwestern Christian University, and a Master’s and PhD from the University of Georgia, Dr. Bolling put his language proficiency to Kingdom work through becoming proficient in Spanish, French, and Italian, making his ministry in his service countries even more fruitful.
While he was active in evangelism, leading groups, teaching in the Bible School, and Coffee House Ministries, the Bollings, in partnership with Russell and Sandra Board, also planted and pastored the first IPHC church in Rome, Italy. While the church plant work was underway in Italy, Dr. Bolling also made visits to Malta, where, through evangelism, he aided in planting the first house church and installing its first pastor. Much like Dr. Bolling’s ministry impact, both Rome and Malta have active churches to this day.
WMM praises God for Dr. Bolling’s life and years of selfless service to IPHC missions and the Kingdom of God.
On behalf of IPHC’s World Missions family,
World Missions Communications Office
