SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — Friends, supporters and longtime acquaintances of Bob Bolus began posting tributes and memories on social media Friday following reports that the prominent Scranton trucking and towing businessman died Thursday night.
FOX56 has not independently confirmed Bolus’ death with family members, a funeral home or another official source. Bolus, who recently was reported to have suffered a stroke, was 82.
For many people in the Scranton area, Bolus was more than a businessman, political candidate and frequent figure in local headlines. Each Christmas, he hosted a free community dinner that offered a meal and a place to gather for people who otherwise might have spent the holiday alone or without one.
The annual dinner became one of Bolus’ most visible acts of charity. It drew families, seniors and others from across the region, and it was regularly remembered by people who knew him personally or encountered him through his businesses. In the messages appearing online Friday, many people focused on that generosity and on Bolus’ willingness to help people in need.
Bolus was also involved in efforts to locate American servicemembers who remained missing from World War II battles in the Pacific.
Bolus was a larger-than-life and often divisive figure in Northeastern Pennsylvania for decades. He ran Bolus Truck Parts and Towing, became a familiar presence in Scranton politics and regularly voiced strong opinions about local and national issues.
He made several attempts to win elected office, including runs for Scranton mayor and City Council. He also became known beyond the region through his support for former President Donald Trump, at times using his truck fleet and business property for political messages and displays.
Bolus’ political and public life was frequently accompanied by controversy. He had prior felony convictions, including a 1991 receiving stolen property case and a 2012 case involving insurance fraud and theft by deception. In 2025, a judge removed him from the Republican primary ballot in Scranton’s mayoral race because of those convictions.
But for many who remembered him Friday, those public battles were not the first thing that came to mind.
They recalled the Christmas dinners, the calls for help that he answered and a businessman whose name had become inseparable from Scranton’s public life. Whether people agreed with him or not, Bolus was rarely ignored.
His apparent death prompted an immediate wave of reaction online, with friends and supporters sharing photographs, personal stories and condolences. Some described him as a generous neighbor and loyal friend; others remembered the annual holiday meal as a tradition that gave people a sense of community during Christmas.
FOX56 is working to independently confirm Bolus’ death and will update this story when additional information becomes available.