Eunice Mae Kolb

Eunice Mae Kolb, age 85, of Geneva, Illinois, passed Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at Michaelsen’s Covenant Living in Batavia with her loving family by her side.

She was born December 28, 1939, in Hanumakonda, Deccan, India, the daughter of Arthur Hemlin Anderson and Sarah Isabell (Barnett) Anderson.

Eunice was the third of four children born to Christian missionaries. When Eunice was four, the family returned to the US and Canada on furlough by steamer ship. Because of World War II, Eunice and her mother stayed with her maternal grandparents in North Dakota while her father and older brothers, David and Victor, stayed with his family in Saskatchewan, Canada. At that time sons carried the nationality of their fathers while girls carried the nationality of their mothers. So, the family was required to stay apart till the war ended and they could return to India. When Eunice was 6, she went to boarding school, as was customary for missionary children. The Anderson children all went to Breeks Memorial school in Ooty, in the Nilgiris, and saw their parents about 10 weeks out of the year. Conditions in the British school were harsh. It was also a time of political unrest in India. On one train trip home for the holidays, the three children were traveling alone, and riots broke out. Another missionary happened to be on the train and helped them to safety, so they were unharmed, but all their possessions were lost. When Eunice was 10, her mother gave birth to her third brother, Kenneth. When she was a sophomore in high school, the family came back to the states for a one-year furlough, and she got a brief taste of 1950’s US culture.

In 1957, Eunice graduated high school and flew back to the states by herself to attend Providence Bible College in Rhode Island, which both her older brothers attended. Eunice majored in French Education at what became Barrington College, and actively participated in choirs, vocal ensembles and musicals. She played Buttercup in “H.M.S Pinafore” and Anna in “The King and I.” In the Music Department, she met Aaron Hershey Kolb from Lancaster, PA. In the spring of 1962, Eunice completed her Bachelor of Arts degree. The baccalaureate program shows that she sang in a women’s trio at the ceremony and gave the second student address entitled, “Influences for Christian Growth.” The following year she taught French while her fiancé, Aaron, finished his final year. They were married at Barrington Baptist Church on June 22, 1963. They moved to Princeton, New Jersey, where Eunice taught second grade while Aaron started a second degree at Westminster Choir College. Their daughter, Ruth Esther was born December 4, 1964. In 1965 the family of three moved to Richmond, VA upon Aaron’s graduation where he took a post as Minister of Music and Youth at Venable Baptist Church, and Eunice became the organist. They lived in a little house at 1909 Oak Hill Lane. On August 24, 1967 they welcomed their first son, Timothy Aaron.  Shortly thereafter Aaron took his next Minister of Music and Youth post at Woodland Heights Baptist Church and they moved to 4503 Stonewall Avenue. On October 10, 1969 they welcomed their third child, Jonathan Anderson. Eunice was active in the church, leading children’s choirs and supporting women’s and youth group activities.

In the summer of 1974, the family moved back to Aaron’s hometown of Lancaster, PA where Aaron began working for his brother Norman and the family rented a house from his sister Rosa and brother-in-law Ammon Graybill. In January 1974, the family began attending Upper Octorara Presbyterian Church, pastored by the beloved Rev. Dr. Jim Brown, where they attended faithfully for nearly 47 years. In the fall of 1976, the family moved to 568 Willow Road, where they lived for 44 years. Aaron took a job at Show-Ease Stall. Eunice also worked as the bookkeeper at Show-Ease Stall for a number of years and then moved to Brennaman Printing for 10 years. She and Aaron added onto their house to make room for her parents to live with them when they could no longer live alone. When her mother needed round-the-clock care, Eunice gave up her job and stayed home to take care of her. She next worked at the Waterstreet Mission till her retirement in 2015 at age 75.

Music played a major role in Eunice and Aaron’s lives together. They sang duets at church and special events throughout the decades, with Eunice accompanying them on piano. She sang in the church choir while Aaron directed. She taught Sunday School, served as a church elder, organized special music for the church and participated in small groups and Bible studies. She relished time with family and friends, often insisting on marking holidays with a trip to Olan Mills for a family portrait.

In 2020 when the world was in lockdown, Eunice and Aaron moved in with Ruth, Tracy and Christopher in Geneva, Illinois. She was Aaron’s devoted partner and caregiver even as she herself grew more frail.

Eunice is survived by her husband of 61 years Aaron; children Ruth (Tracy) Drew of Geneva, Illinois, Timothy (April) of York, Pennsylvania, and Jonathan (Lynn) of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; grandchildren Christopher Drew, Alison Kolb and Tim Kolb Jr.; brother Kenneth (Lois) Anderson; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers David (Joan) Anderson and Victor (Dorothy) Anderson, and her granddaughter Sarah Rachel Drew.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 11:00 AM at the Upper Octorara Presbyterian Church,  1121 Octorara Trail, Parkesburg, PA with visitation at the church from 10:00 AM to the time of the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Upper Octorara Presbyterian Church, 1121 Octorara Trail, Parkesburg, PA 19365.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Wilde Funeral Home of Parkesburg, PA. Online condolences can be posted at www.wildefuneralhome.com