Marie L. Kolb, beloved mom, grandma, sister, aunt, and friend was welcomed into the arms of Jesus on Friday, December 30, 2022, with her son and daughter by her side.
Mom was a woman that loved her family above all else. Maybe being born into a large family helped shape this but we were blessed to be the recipients of this love.
Mom was the 9th of 10 kids. She was born on the family farm in Wabash County. She grew up in the country and kept that piece of her close to her heart. She and her siblings had hundreds of stories of their youth and the overwhelming theme was love. Through the joys, through the struggles and through the inevitable sibling arguments, they loved each other.
Mom was proud to attend the No. 8 schoolhouse in Friendsville. It was her privilege to be taught by her oldest sister, Ruth.
As an adult, mom was a bookkeeper for Pacific Press and later for Kolb Tractor Service. She could use a typewriter and adding machine faster than anyone we had ever seen. Many hours were spent with her in the office. After losing our dad, mom got her license to sell insurance and then was elected Wabash County Clerk. In addition to her role at the courthouse, she also worked in admitting at WGH on the weekends. You couldn’t find a harder working woman than mom.
Mom wasn’t just a mom to us; she was an amazing daughter to her mother. Our grandma filled our home with love and mom cared for her until her last breath. Working seven days a week, parenting us, and caring for her mom…we honestly never heard her complain. She was just loving us.
Mom’s top priority was always her kids. That didn’t just include us but also our friends and sometimes people we didn’t even know. She took us and our friends shopping, to movies and out to lunch. She welcomed many high school boys into our kitchen where she would try her best to give stylish haircuts. She was PTA President for many years and was the most amazing room mother that ever walked through a school door. Anything a teacher or student needed, she was going to try and make it happen. She taught our Sunday school classes and picked up anyone that needed a ride to church. One Sunday morning, we had at least twelve people in our car, and she was thrilled. She later drove the church van every Sunday morning to pick up older ladies in our congregation that didn’t have a way to get to church. Many times, she was late to appointments or picking us up from school, but we never thought she forgot us…just that she might have gotten busy helping someone else. She would never leave another child waiting for their ride. She would either take them home herself or we would sit and wait until their ride showed up…but she wouldn’t leave them behind. Everything we know about loving and caring for someone, we learned from her.
Mom was involved in so many clubs and organizations, we can’t begin to name them all. She always jumped all in. Church activities, school clubs, work, and service organizations…she even dressed and performed as a clown to entertain kids. She was an amazing bowler and was in many leagues. As we liked to tease her, she could be a little scatter-brained at times, sometimes running out the door with mismatched shoes and occasionally forgetting items of clothing, but it was inevitable as she always had many irons in the fire.
Mom made the best holiday desserts and would usually be up until 2 in the morning making sure they were done. When we were younger, she would set up elaborate scavenger hunts leading to our Easter baskets. Every holiday was important to her because it was an excuse to love us.
As much as she loved her kids, it paled in comparison to how much mom loved her grandchildren. Rocking them, reading hundreds of books to them, getting on to us anytime we tried to correct them…they kept her going. Mom lit up when she was with them.
Mom was born on March 4, 1939, to Rex Burton and Luella Pearl (Beal) Price. She married Gene E. Kolb and had a son, Patrick A. Kolb and daughter, Rebecca J. (TA) Jackson. She had the three best grandkids in the world (according to her), Michael (Ashley) Kolb, Geena Marie Jackson, and Trace Jackson. She was blessed with two great-grandchildren, Karson, and Kori. She was forever grateful for her bonus family, Kirby Reid and Jadda and Jaden. She is also survived by sisters, Roberta (Leon) Stutzman and Jeanette (Gene) Shepard and multiple nieces, nephews, and cousins. Preceding her in death were her parents; husband Gene; sisters, Ruth Woods, Julia Adams, and Helen Peters; brothers, Jim, Willis, Nelson, and George Price; multiple brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and several nieces and nephews.
Thank you to all the caregivers she had and all of those that sent prayers and support. If mom ever touched your life in a special way, please share that love with the next person. This world is a better place for having her in it and we are better people because of her.
Family and friends are invited to gather for a Visitation from 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 3, 2023, in the Chapel of Keepes Funeral Home.
Funeral Services will be at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 3, 2023, in the Chapel of Keepes Funeral Home with Pastor Sheila Kelly officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Memorial Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family would like memorial contributions made in Marie’s memory to Safe Haven. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home or may be mailed to Keepes Funeral Home, 1500 N Cherry St. Mt. Carmel, IL 62863.
Keepes Funeral Home is serving the family with the arrangements. To view Marie’s tribute wall and leave condolences for the Kolb family, please visit www.keepesfuneralhome.com
