The Blaney Family Website: August 2009

Sunday, August 9, 2009

William Blaney

William J. Blaney

April 7, 1915

May 25, 1989

William J. Blaney, age 74, of Green Bay, died Thursday, May 25, 1989 in Green Bay.

He was born April 7, 1915, in Green Bay to William and Margaret (Hogan) Blaney. He graduated from St. Patrick Grade School, West High School, attended St. Norbert College and graduated from Goodman College of Mortuary Science in Milwaukee. He became a licensed funeral director in 1939. Shortly before his death he was recognized by the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association for fifty years of service to his profession.

After graduation from mortuary school, he was employed at the Coad Funeral Home in Green Bay. He later established his own funeral home. His funeral home was located in the former Jorgenson Home on the corner of Hubbard and Chestnut Streets. During World War II, Mr. Blaney served in the Army Air Corps, achieving the rank of Sargeant. Upon returning to Green Bay after the war, he re-established his business.

In 1948, he married Eileen Early. Together they ran the funeral home and grew their family. Four of their six children have been active in the business. In 1965, they built the new funeral home at its current location, 1521 Shawano Ave. While he never fully retired, he and Eileen enjoyed traveling and spending their winters in Arizona. While he never had much time in his youth to develop hobbies, he did enjoy the company of good friends, a good clean joke and his summer retreat at Silver Lake, near Wild Rose, WI. Like many of the "Greatest Generation", he did not gush about himself, was rarely over emotional and was a very hard worker. He loved his family and they loved him.

At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife, Eileen, six children and their spouses, William J. Blaney, Thomas Blaney, Michael and Mary Blaney, John Blaney, Ken and Cathy Blaney and Mary Jo Blaney. He was also survived by five grandchildren, Patrick, Kevin, Bridget, Brian and Kathleen Blaney. A few weeks following his death, a sixth grandchild, Erin, was born. His brothers, Walter and Robert Blaney and sisters, Bernadine Blaney Wetzel and Margaret Tobias also survived him.

He was preceded in death by an infant son, James, a sister, Katherine Blaney and two brothers, Emmett "Bud" Blaney and John "Jake" Blaney. His visitation was held at his own funeral home and his Funeral Mass was held at St. Patrick Catholic Church. He is buried at Allouez Catholic Cemetery.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Lee Kolb

Rosalie "Lee" Kolb

Mrs. William (Rosalie "Lee") Kolb, 73 of De Pere, died Tuesday, October 2, 2007 after a 30 year battle with rheumatoid arthritis.

She was born March 9, 1934 in Little Chute to George and Catherine (Rutten) VandeLogt. On July 10, 1954, she married William Kolb at St. Mary Catholic Church in De Pere. In her younger years, Lee had a number of jobs and a little later in her life she worked part-time for the Press-Gazette, mostly because it afforded her a social opportunity. Lee's most important job, the one she took most seriously and the one she truly loved was raising her seven children. Lee was a good mom. She attended the teacher meetings, went to the kid's sporting events, helped with the scouts and seemed to always be making cookies. She also enjoyed baking and decorating cakes for friends and family members for special occasions and she was good at it. Raising seven children is a tough job and Lee was a good sport. As Stuart said at her funeral, "What kind of mom would think it would be fun to take a family of nine camping?"

Even after her arthritis was diagnosed in 1978, Lee was still a trooper. She made afghans for many family members, Barbie Doll clothes and Christmas ornaments for her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Those Christmas ornaments are cherished more now than ever before. Her arthritis may have altered her life but it never defined her life. She endured many trips to the doctors, hospitals and clinics while at the same time continuing to make trips to school meetings and athletic events for younger children and later Masses and special events for her 11 grandchildren. Lee enjoyed their cottage at Athelstane for many years but when Lee and Bill were well into their 60s they decided to sell it and buy another, this one in Egg Harbor. With a strong vision of what was possible, she and Bill bought a "fixer-upper" and turned it into the beautiful place that it is today. It seemed to her children that the Egg Harbor cottage revitalized their Mom.

Through it all, fun times, sad times, difficult times, good health and bad, there was always her faith. Lee was a devout Catholic with a strong devotion to the Rosary. She was a member of the St. Mary Catholic Community for virtually her entire life.

She is survived by her husband, William "Bill" Kolb, seven children and their spouses, Debbie Kolb, Franklin; Pam and John Jenk, Hales Corners; Mark and Carolyn Kolb, Hudson; Lisa Maas, Stuart and Pam Kolb, Mary Kolb, all of Green Bay; Bill and Amy Kolb, Brookfield; 11 grandchildren, Leah, Austin, Jennifer, Eric, Veronica, Mariah, Mackenzie, Benjamin, Brittany, Rachel, Connor; a brother and sister-in-law, Elmer and Evelyn VandeLogt, California; a sister-in-law, Audrey VandeLogt, Menasha, her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Gene Kolb, Ruby and Bob Ahasay, Lloyd and Beverly Kolb, Darrell Kolb, Nancy (Jerry Kolb) Ringblom, many nieces and nephews, cousins and a very dear friend, Marie McDonough Rowe.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a son-in-law, Bob Maas, a sister, Trudy Kolb, three brothers, Anthony, Bernard, and Yvoine VandeLogt, her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Anthony and Pearl (Spear) Kolb.

Kolbs are a close knit family but Lee was especially close to her sister, Trudy. They married brothers and raised their families across the street from each other. Trudy died just three months before Lee.

Lee is buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, just two blocks from her home.