Frederick Van Deren Kolbe, a longtime resident of Darien and husband of the late Marion (Wilcox) Kolbe, died on Wednesday, May 31 at Regional Hospice of Western CT Center for Comfort Care and Healing, Danbury. He was 89.
Image by Willie Wax on Wikimedia Commons
Image by Willie Wax on Wikimedia Commons
Mr. Kolbe was born in Detroit on Jan. 5, 1928. He was the son of Frank F. and Marjorie (Heartt) Kolbe and he lived in Darien since 1963.
He attended The Ethical Culture School in New York City, New Trier High School in Winnetka, Ill., and The Taft School in Watertown. He received an undergraduate degree in economics from Yale University.
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— an obituary from Jowdy-Kane Funeral Home
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Fred was a U.S. Army veteran. He worked for Pfizer in New York for a number of years and then as a recruiter in Connecticut, until he established his own technical recruiting firm, Van Deren & Associates, which operated from 1980 until his retirement in 1993. After retiring, Mr. and Mrs. Kolbe wintered at Little Pine Island, Fl.
Fred was an avid reader and had a passion for history. He also had a strong interest in pre-war classic cars and had owned many over the years.
He was a member of the Hajji Baba Club of New York for many years, and for several years he also was a a member of the Nutmeg Curling Club in Darien.
Mr. Kolbe is survived by a son, Frank Kolbe and his wife Diane of Kingston, N.H.; a daughter, Miranda Kolbe and her wife, Whitney Hoyt of San Francisco; a sister, Elizabeth McGuinn of Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. and a grandson, Christian Kolbe.
Graveside funeral services and burial will take place at 1 p.m., Monday, June 19, 2017 in the Woodland Cemetery, Keene, N.H. There will be no calling hours.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Jowdy-Kane Funeral Home, 9-11 Granville Ave., Danbury is in charge of arrangements.