John H. Kolb, Jr.

John H. Kolb, Jr, 86, of Chatham died peacefully in his sleep on February 13 at Mill Hill Senior Residences in West Yarmouth, MA. John was born on February 23, 1936, and grew up in Seymour, CT, the first son of the late Linda Bacon Kolb and John H. Kolb, Sr.

John attended The Hopkins School in New Haven, CT graduating in 1954 as salutatorian of his class. He then attended Yale University in New Haven, CT graduating in 1958 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. After graduating from Yale, John and his best childhood friend from Seymour, CT, Joseph Guido, drove west for new jobs in Los Angeles, CA. John, Joe and a third California housemate, Leo Muller, remained friendly their entire lives.

In the early 1960s, John returned to Connecticut, to work for Sikorsky and then United Technologies. He then joined his father’s insurance and real estate agency located in Seymour, CT in 1965. John worked at John H. Kolb & Sons until his retirement in 2012.

John met his wife, Sylvia, of 60 years on Cape Cod in the early 1960s and they were married in Falmouth, MA in 1963. John and Sylvia lived together in Bethany, CT where they raised their two boys.

A good part of his life was spent in Chatham, MA starting in the 1940s for vacations as a child, and later in the 1950s when his father built a small cottage in South Chatham. In the late 1970s, John and Sylvia designed and built a vacation house of their own where they split their time between Connecticut and Chatham. John, his father, and two brothers were also active in real estate in Chatham, MA with numerous subdivisions and housing developments completed in the 1970s and 1980s.

John loved the beach, sailing, swimming, clamming, and fishing from land or sea. John was a talented piano player. As teenagers, he and his two brothers formed a band and played gigs around Connecticut and New York State in the 1950s. John was an avid sports fan, and especially loved baseball. Originally a New York Yankees fan, John converted to a Boston Red Sox fan in the early 1950s following Joe DiMaggio’s retirement from the Yankees. Until shortly before his passing, John and his best childhood friend, Joe, talked daily about baseball, football and basketball.

John would have been 87 on Thursday. He is survived by his wife, Sylvia Cunningham Kolb, his two sons, John H. Kolb, III, and his wife Courtney Kolb, Essex CT, and Christopher R. Kolb and his wife Meredith Kolb, Sandwich MA, his five grandchildren, Charlotte, Gretchen and Sam Kolb, and Josephine and Isabel Kolb, and a sixth expected by Courtney in March! He is also survived by his two brothers, Peter Kolb, and his wife Carol, and Robert Kolb and his wife Rita Kolb, and their children, as well as cousins, nieces and nephews, and his dog Rusty.

A Private family viewing was held at Nickerson Funeral Home, Chatham, with a service by Rev. Joseph Marchio of First Congregational Church and music performed by his brother, Robert. A dinner was held for everyone at the Wayside Inn, Chatham, MA. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society and Veterans Administration.

For online condolences please visit: www.nickersonfhchatham.com