Steve Bolser, the man with the Snoopy tie and the Charlie Brown "Never, ever give up" attitude, the principal at "QP" who really was a pal, died Saturday, a year after being told he had a cancerous brain tumor.
Bolser, 56, was the principal at the 470-student Our Lady Queen of Peace School since 1994 but had been in Catholic education for many years, working as a teacher at Edgewood Campus School and as principal of Edgewood High School.
The news of his illness was delivered last year while students were already coping with the death of a fellow student from brain cancer, and after Bolser had brought in specialists to train staff on how best to help children cope with illness and death.
"We were very grateful that along the whole journey the family was in constant communication with us, our pastor, and it was their desire to keep everyone full informed, it was a huge gift to everyone," said Patty Chrsyt, acting principal at the school.
Bolser had a combination of teaching gifts to go along with his faith, she said, that endeared him to student and staff alike.