Col. Michael Riordan Boldrick, USAF (ret.), 86, of Santa Maria, passed peacefully and prayerfully into eternal rest at his home on Good Friday, April 18, 2025, surrounded by his wife Kathleen and their five daughters.

Col. Boldrick was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on Feb. 20, 1939, and raised in Owensboro, Kentucky. He attended Owensboro Catholic High School, where he led the 1957 underdog Aces varsity basketball team to the Kentucky Third Region finals.

He graduated from Brescia University with a B.A.in English, and earned an M.S. in economics from South Dakota State University.

He enrolled in the U.S. Air Force Officer Training School, and was commissioned as a public affairs officer before advancing to missile operations in the Aerospace Support Group (SAC).

Col. Boldrick was awarded several merits and ribbons throughout his distinguished 25-year career in the USAF, including the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with 1 OLC, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, Combat Readiness Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon.

At the time of his retirement from the USAF, he led the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center’s MX Test Team at Vandenberg AFB.

Col. Boldrick joined SRI International after his retirement from the U.S. Air Force, managing the growth of programs and staff at Vandenberg AFB for the Systems Development Division of the Engineering Group.

He retired from SRI as the executive director of the Instrumentation and Simulation Program. He was inducted into the SRI Alumni Hall of Fame in 2016 for his leadership in the highly successful Deployable Force-on-Force Instrumented Range System (DFIRST) program, a critical tool for Army National Guard and U.S. Army training, enhancing troop readiness for Middle East conflict.

He was a gifted writer and photographer, and his work was published in Smithsonian, Wall Street Journal, Reason, Sacramento Bee, Trains, and Classic Toy Trains. He collected rare Lionel model trains and classic circus memorabilia.

Above all, Col. Boldrick was a faithful Catholic, a devoted husband and father, a caring son and brother, a true friend, an admired leader, and a patriotic veteran.

He loved his family and his country and served both with purpose and commitment. He had a razor-sharp intellect, a quick wit, and a stout but soft heart.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years Kathleen Marie (Knott) Boldrick; five daughters Peggy Bowes (John) of Rapid City, South Dakota, Katie Guerrero (Hank) of Gilroy, California, Susanna Gomon (Kyle) of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, Penelope Whisnant (Keith) of Danville, California, and Beth McDonald (Ian) of Honolulu, Hawaii; his sister Sallie Mac Fox (James); 11 grandchildren Soren Weise, Alex Bowes (Saule), Rebecca Hackett (Nick), Olivia Guerrero, Gianna Guerrero, Sam Guerrero, Alexandra Guerrero, Chris McDonald, Madelyn McDonald, Paul Whisnant, and Clare Whisnant; and two great-grandchildren Luke Hackett and Henry Bowes.

He is preceded in death by his parents Thomas and Sallie Boldrick, and his brothers Raphael Boldrick and Thomas Boldrick, Jr.

Funeral mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 30 at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church, followed by burial at Santa Maria Cemetery.

Visit www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com to leave a condolence for the family.