Our Father was born on Valentines Day, and passed away on Fathers Day.
John E Kolb was the first born of Joseph Edwin Kolb, and Leah Cochran. He made his Valentines Day entrance to their lives in Ipswich South Dakota, and shortly there-after the family moved to Hysham, Treasure County, Montana. The family stayed there a few years, and then moved to Pasadena in Southern California. John remembered fondly living in California, and riding his bike to the observatory up in the hills, and catching hell from his dad for it. He was about 8 or 9 when he did this with his friends. His father Ed, owned a gas station/repair shop there in Pasadena, but lost it during the depression. They then moved to Grass Valley, where Ed helped manage a friends fruit farm, until the friend lost his farm. Then they moved from Grass Valley California to Redmond Washington. John had very fond memories of growing up in Washington, and the "Swimming Hole" that they used to go to all the time. The kids all developed life long friendships there, (The Davidson Family especially) whom they remain in contact with to this day.
John joined the Army Air Guard in October of 1942, and was initially set to train to fly, but during the training, his airsickness overcame him, so he had to change to airplane mechanic. He served for four years, and then returned home to Hamilton, in Washington state.
John then worked on his father's dairy farm until he was married to Barbara in 1946, and then started doing large construction work with Barbara's father. In doing this construction work, they moved all over the northwest including Idaho and Montana and various locations in California. The family finally settled into the San Joaquin Valley near Sacramento. John worked for various "batch plants" as an operating engineer, then went to Viet Nam during the late 60's and early 70's with Morrison Knudsen, to help build bridges and airstrips that were needed for the war effort there. He returned to the states in 1972 at the end of the war. The family left California while John was in Vietnam, moving to Logan Utah. After he returned they moved from Logan to the Boise Idaho area. John worked for Idaho Concrete and Pipe in Nampa, until he was retirement age, retired, then decided retirement wasn't for him, and went back to work for them till he was 75 years old. He was a very hard worker, and his co-workers all loved him and appreciated him. They actually gave him two retirement parties, one the first time, and another at the second retirement. Dad was an AVID gardener, and raised the most beautiful, heavily producing gardens no matter where he lived. In 1995, John and Barbara and daughter Brenda moved to Clearwater Idaho, where they stayed, and had many friends in the Clearwater area. Both Barbara and Brenda are buried in the Clearwater Cemetery.
John was a very devoted husband, and wonderful father - and a quiet soft-spoken man with a wonderful commitment to his family and friends as well as his God. We are very thankful as his children to have been able to have him in our lives. He was also paramount in the lives of his grandchildren who also live in the Clearwater area, as well as those grandchildren in other states. He loved to play chess with his grandson, and taught him all he knew about chess. Dad will be greatly missed by his children and grandchildren, and all those that knew him.
John was able to spend the last 6 months of his life in the home of his youngest daughter and her husband, where he received wonderful care and a lot of love, surrounded by his family members, who came to visit him.
We know that God will reward him well for a life well lived. Good bye Dad, we love you!
John E Kolb was the first born of Joseph Edwin Kolb, and Leah Cochran. He made his Valentines Day entrance to their lives in Ipswich South Dakota, and shortly there-after the family moved to Hysham, Treasure County, Montana. The family stayed there a few years, and then moved to Pasadena in Southern California. John remembered fondly living in California, and riding his bike to the observatory up in the hills, and catching hell from his dad for it. He was about 8 or 9 when he did this with his friends. His father Ed, owned a gas station/repair shop there in Pasadena, but lost it during the depression. They then moved to Grass Valley, where Ed helped manage a friends fruit farm, until the friend lost his farm. Then they moved from Grass Valley California to Redmond Washington. John had very fond memories of growing up in Washington, and the "Swimming Hole" that they used to go to all the time. The kids all developed life long friendships there, (The Davidson Family especially) whom they remain in contact with to this day.
John joined the Army Air Guard in October of 1942, and was initially set to train to fly, but during the training, his airsickness overcame him, so he had to change to airplane mechanic. He served for four years, and then returned home to Hamilton, in Washington state.
John then worked on his father's dairy farm until he was married to Barbara in 1946, and then started doing large construction work with Barbara's father. In doing this construction work, they moved all over the northwest including Idaho and Montana and various locations in California. The family finally settled into the San Joaquin Valley near Sacramento. John worked for various "batch plants" as an operating engineer, then went to Viet Nam during the late 60's and early 70's with Morrison Knudsen, to help build bridges and airstrips that were needed for the war effort there. He returned to the states in 1972 at the end of the war. The family left California while John was in Vietnam, moving to Logan Utah. After he returned they moved from Logan to the Boise Idaho area. John worked for Idaho Concrete and Pipe in Nampa, until he was retirement age, retired, then decided retirement wasn't for him, and went back to work for them till he was 75 years old. He was a very hard worker, and his co-workers all loved him and appreciated him. They actually gave him two retirement parties, one the first time, and another at the second retirement. Dad was an AVID gardener, and raised the most beautiful, heavily producing gardens no matter where he lived. In 1995, John and Barbara and daughter Brenda moved to Clearwater Idaho, where they stayed, and had many friends in the Clearwater area. Both Barbara and Brenda are buried in the Clearwater Cemetery.
John was a very devoted husband, and wonderful father - and a quiet soft-spoken man with a wonderful commitment to his family and friends as well as his God. We are very thankful as his children to have been able to have him in our lives. He was also paramount in the lives of his grandchildren who also live in the Clearwater area, as well as those grandchildren in other states. He loved to play chess with his grandson, and taught him all he knew about chess. Dad will be greatly missed by his children and grandchildren, and all those that knew him.
John was able to spend the last 6 months of his life in the home of his youngest daughter and her husband, where he received wonderful care and a lot of love, surrounded by his family members, who came to visit him.
We know that God will reward him well for a life well lived. Good bye Dad, we love you!
Our Father was born on Valentines Day, and passed away on Fathers Day.
John E Kolb was the first born of Joseph Edwin Kolb, and Leah Cochran. He made his Valentines Day entrance to their lives in Ipswich South Dakota, and shortly there-after the family moved to Hysham, Treasure County, Montana. The family stayed there a few years, and then moved to Pasadena in Southern California. John remembered fondly living in California, and riding his bike to the observatory up in the hills, and catching hell from his dad for it. He was about 8 or 9 when he did this with his friends. His father Ed, owned a gas station/repair shop there in Pasadena, but lost it during the depression. They then moved to Grass Valley, where Ed helped manage a friends fruit farm, until the friend lost his farm. Then they moved from Grass Valley California to Redmond Washington. John had very fond memories of growing up in Washington, and the "Swimming Hole" that they used to go to all the time. The kids all developed life long friendships there, (The Davidson Family especially) whom they remain in contact with to this day.
John joined the Army Air Guard in October of 1942, and was initially set to train to fly, but during the training, his airsickness overcame him, so he had to change to airplane mechanic. He served for four years, and then returned home to Hamilton, in Washington state.
John then worked on his father's dairy farm until he was married to Barbara in 1946, and then started doing large construction work with Barbara's father. In doing this construction work, they moved all over the northwest including Idaho and Montana and various locations in California. The family finally settled into the San Joaquin Valley near Sacramento. John worked for various "batch plants" as an operating engineer, then went to Viet Nam during the late 60's and early 70's with Morrison Knudsen, to help build bridges and airstrips that were needed for the war effort there. He returned to the states in 1972 at the end of the war. The family left California while John was in Vietnam, moving to Logan Utah. After he returned they moved from Logan to the Boise Idaho area. John worked for Idaho Concrete and Pipe in Nampa, until he was retirement age, retired, then decided retirement wasn't for him, and went back to work for them till he was 75 years old. He was a very hard worker, and his co-workers all loved him and appreciated him. They actually gave him two retirement parties, one the first time, and another at the second retirement. Dad was an AVID gardener, and raised the most beautiful, heavily producing gardens no matter where he lived. In 1995, John and Barbara and daughter Brenda moved to Clearwater Idaho, where they stayed, and had many friends in the Clearwater area. Both Barbara and Brenda are buried in the Clearwater Cemetery.
John was a very devoted husband, and wonderful father - and a quiet soft-spoken man with a wonderful commitment to his family and friends as well as his God. We are very thankful as his children to have been able to have him in our lives. He was also paramount in the lives of his grandchildren who also live in the Clearwater area, as well as those grandchildren in other states. He loved to play chess with his grandson, and taught him all he knew about chess. Dad will be greatly missed by his children and grandchildren, and all those that knew him.
John was able to spend the last 6 months of his life in the home of his youngest daughter and her husband, where he received wonderful care and a lot of love, surrounded by his family members, who came to visit him.
We know that God will reward him well for a life well lived. Good bye Dad, we love you!
John E Kolb was the first born of Joseph Edwin Kolb, and Leah Cochran. He made his Valentines Day entrance to their lives in Ipswich South Dakota, and shortly there-after the family moved to Hysham, Treasure County, Montana. The family stayed there a few years, and then moved to Pasadena in Southern California. John remembered fondly living in California, and riding his bike to the observatory up in the hills, and catching hell from his dad for it. He was about 8 or 9 when he did this with his friends. His father Ed, owned a gas station/repair shop there in Pasadena, but lost it during the depression. They then moved to Grass Valley, where Ed helped manage a friends fruit farm, until the friend lost his farm. Then they moved from Grass Valley California to Redmond Washington. John had very fond memories of growing up in Washington, and the "Swimming Hole" that they used to go to all the time. The kids all developed life long friendships there, (The Davidson Family especially) whom they remain in contact with to this day.
John joined the Army Air Guard in October of 1942, and was initially set to train to fly, but during the training, his airsickness overcame him, so he had to change to airplane mechanic. He served for four years, and then returned home to Hamilton, in Washington state.
John then worked on his father's dairy farm until he was married to Barbara in 1946, and then started doing large construction work with Barbara's father. In doing this construction work, they moved all over the northwest including Idaho and Montana and various locations in California. The family finally settled into the San Joaquin Valley near Sacramento. John worked for various "batch plants" as an operating engineer, then went to Viet Nam during the late 60's and early 70's with Morrison Knudsen, to help build bridges and airstrips that were needed for the war effort there. He returned to the states in 1972 at the end of the war. The family left California while John was in Vietnam, moving to Logan Utah. After he returned they moved from Logan to the Boise Idaho area. John worked for Idaho Concrete and Pipe in Nampa, until he was retirement age, retired, then decided retirement wasn't for him, and went back to work for them till he was 75 years old. He was a very hard worker, and his co-workers all loved him and appreciated him. They actually gave him two retirement parties, one the first time, and another at the second retirement. Dad was an AVID gardener, and raised the most beautiful, heavily producing gardens no matter where he lived. In 1995, John and Barbara and daughter Brenda moved to Clearwater Idaho, where they stayed, and had many friends in the Clearwater area. Both Barbara and Brenda are buried in the Clearwater Cemetery.
John was a very devoted husband, and wonderful father - and a quiet soft-spoken man with a wonderful commitment to his family and friends as well as his God. We are very thankful as his children to have been able to have him in our lives. He was also paramount in the lives of his grandchildren who also live in the Clearwater area, as well as those grandchildren in other states. He loved to play chess with his grandson, and taught him all he knew about chess. Dad will be greatly missed by his children and grandchildren, and all those that knew him.
John was able to spend the last 6 months of his life in the home of his youngest daughter and her husband, where he received wonderful care and a lot of love, surrounded by his family members, who came to visit him.
We know that God will reward him well for a life well lived. Good bye Dad, we love you!
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