Funeral services for Betty Kolb, age 87, of Lemmon, SD will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lemmon. Pastor Frank Gantt will officiate with burial in the Date Cemetery southwest of Bison, SD.

All of Betty's family and friends are considered honorary casketbearers. Serving as active casketbearers are Chuck Christman, Shad Christman, Adam Kolb, Joshua Kolb, Dwight Wenner and Ben Wiechmann.


Special music will be provided by Rhonda Tomac, organist and Marilyn, Elizabeth, Joshua and Adam Kolb, vocalists.

BETTY KOLB was born January 25, 1924, to Clarence and Florence (Boland) Crawford, at her uncle's home on the Moreau River near the Imogene community of Perkins County. Betty's father and mother built a home and started a ranch near their homestead land on the Moreau shortly after Betty was born. She grew up with her father, mother, and sister Marguerite on the Crawford ranch. Betty was home-schooled for her first year by her mother, and continued through eighth grade at the Dillon School near her home. She attended high school at the Bixby, Maurine and Sorum schools, followed by a year of college at Black Hills Teachers College in Spearfish, SD. After college, she taught in a one-room school house until she was married.

Betty was united in marriage to Raymond Kolb of the nearby Date community at Chickasha, OK, on July 3, 1943. Betty and Ray were stationed in Chickasha, where Ray instructed Primary pilot cadets for the US Army. There they met many of their life-long friends and began their joint career in the aviation business. With Ray as her instructor, Betty earned her Private Pilot license. They returned to SD at the end of the war, and together they purchased the Lemmon Aircraft Company in 1947. Ray and Betty operated the business until 1975, beginning with flight instruction and predator hunting, and expanding into crop spraying, air charter and ambulance, game counting, weather modification, and highline surveying.

Betty's life was not all work. Although continuously involved in the business, Betty's real job was to raise their three children, Norman, Lowell and Judy, but she still had plenty of love left over for other relatives and friends her life touched. She inspired, encouraged (and corrected) her children and her "adopted kids" as they grew, and was always there when she was needed. Betty was a long-time member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church and the St. Luke's Ladies' Aide. Betty and her husband were truly best friends, and they loved square dancing, ballroom dancing, playing cards, and socializing with friends. Semi-retired in 1975, Betty and Ray continued to make their home in Lemmon, but they flew throughout the United States pursuing aviation interests as long as their health allowed and keeping in touch with their family and friends. Raymond passed away on January 20, 2001. Betty especially enjoyed being Grandma to her own grandchildren and those of her nieces and nephews. Betty never forgot her family and friends; staying in contact with them and helping them stay in touch with each other.


Betty passed away on Saturday morning, May 7, 2011 at the Five Counties Nursing Home in Lemmon, SD.

Betty is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Norman and Diane Kolb of Tijeras, NM; son and daughter-in-law Lowell and Marilyn Kolb of Loveland, CO; and daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Lee Boman of Seeley Lake, MT; 7 grandchildren, Troy, Anthony, and Stacy (fiancé Cameron Law) Boman, and Elizabeth, Joshua, Adam, and Kevin Kolb; sisters- and brothers-in-law Lillian Simon, Ernest and Darlene Kolb, Florence Kolb, Delbert and Betty Kolb, and Rod and Deanna Kensrud.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond; her sister and brother-in-law Marguerite and Elwood Herman; and sisters- and brothers-in-law Lee Simon, Arnold Kolb, Vernon and Darlene Kolb, and Eldred and Willeyene Kolb.


Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, May 13, 2011 followed by a family service at 7:30 p.m. all at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon and one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday.


A memorial has been established.