Ernest Edgar Kolb beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather was called to Heaven to meet his Lord on December 17, 2015 at the age of 89 with his beloved wife of 66 years Darlene, holding his hand.


Ernest was born on May 8th 1926, at the ranch his parents had homesteaded near Date in rural Perkins County southwest of Bison, SD. He was the 4th of 9 children born to Rudolf and Amelia (Hintz) Kolb. (Child # 3 a baby brother named Gilbert dying in infancy). He grew up at the family's ranch home attending all 8 grades in the one room Reder schoolhouse. He spent much of his younger years on his Shetland pony, Pronto on which he went to school, herded the family's flock of sheep, and looked for the milk cows, because there were few fences on the land.


When Ernest reached High School age, he attended Bison for a year and the second year, he was asked to remain at home and help with the workload of the family ranch. After attending one year at Northwestern Lutheran Academy in Mobridge, SD, he was called to serve in the United States Army. His basic training was in Ft. Hood Texas where he was shipped out with the 3rd Army Division to Oberammergau Germany. Once there, his Division joined the 7th Army Division stationed in Heidelberg. There he was an Army Interpreter and researched German prisoners as the Nurnberg Trials were being held at this time. After an honorable discharge from the service, Ernest returned to Northwestern Lutheran Academy in Mobridge to finish high school.


Following in the footsteps of his brothers, Ernest received his pilot's training from his brother, Raymond. Using his own airplane and Pilot's License, Ernest flew across the state to court his high school sweetheart, Darlene Giese, of rural Summit, SD. The sound of the airplane as it buzzed the one room schoolhouse on Fridays where Darlene taught, sent up shouts of approval from her students. Ernest and Darlene were married on June 13, 1949 in rural Mazeppa Lutheran Church in Summit, SD in a Double Wedding Ceremony with dear classmates, Calvin and Dorothy Frey.


Like his father Rudolph, Ernest felt that a "running creek" was a vital resource to a ranch, so he established a home and his hay base on Antelope Creek. Continuing the network of dikes and gates begun by his father, Ernest spent endless hours on a D4 Caterpiller pulling a scraper to harness Antelope Creek turning pasture ground into irrigated alfalfa hay ground.


In 1961, Ernest was honored with the Conservation Soil & Moisture Award for Perkins County. With a love for riding his Caterpiller that few can fathom, he considered it a great advancement over the team of horses and tumble bug that his father Rudolf used to begin the project. Throughout Ernest's life, his endeavor was kept alive by his sons and flood irrigation continues there on the family ranch today.


Ernest was a lifetime member of Zion Lutheran Church in Date, SD and then Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bison, serving on the church council many terms. Ernest was passionate about honesty and trusting the Lord and his strong faith was evident in many difficult situations throughout his life. He showed his love for his family by providing for them in good times and bad and his support of a Christian education for his children and his encouragement and support of the same for his Grandchildren. Ernest's wisdom will always be remembered and treasured by the family that loved him.


Left to cherish his precious memory, Ernest is survived by his wife, Darlene of Lemmon, SD; their children, Marlene (Terry) Kemmet, Tappen, ND; Jeffrey (Pam) Kolb, Prairie City, SD; Cheryl (Ken) Brull, Pierre, SD; Brian (Kay) Kolb, Prairie City, SD; and David Kolb, Bison, SD. He was blessed with 13 Grandchildren, Marlene's children: Lindell and Kimberly; Jeff's children: Jennifer, Eric, and Alyssa; Cheryl's child Dexter; Brian's children: Leslie, Ginger, and Cherry; and Dave's children: Deaundra, Shawna, Chantel, and Dustin; 14 Great-Grandchildren; a sister, Lillian Simon, Spearfish, SD; a brother, Delbert Kolb (Betty), Sturgis, SD; a sister Deanna (Rodney) Kensrud, Alexandria, VA, and a sister-in-law Florence Kolb, Springfield, VA; and numerous nieces and nephews.


Ernest was preceded in death by parents, Rudolf and Amelia Kolb, five brothers, Raymond, Arnold, Vernon, Eldred, and infant brother Gilbert; three sisters-in-law, Betty, Darlene, and Willeyene Kolb, infant grandson, Michael Kolb, niece Wendy Kolb, and nephews, Nathan Kolb and infant Sterling Kolb.


The Funeral Services for Ernest Kolb will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, December 28th, 2015 at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bison, SD with Pastor Adam Pilarski, officiating. Following a time of fellowship and luncheon at the Grand Electric Social Room, burial will take place at the Date Cemetery southwest of Bison, SD with full military honors afforded by the Rogers-Smith American Legion Post #51 of Bison.


Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 27th, 2015 followed by a friends and family service at 5:00 p.m. all at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon, SD.


Special music will be provided by Diana Landis.


Serving as Active Casketbearers are Eric, Dexter, Deaundra, Shawna, and Dustin Kolb, Lindell Kemmet, Robert Russell, and Lynn Simon. Serving as Honorary Casketbearers are Kimberly Russell, Alyssa Scharrer, Ginger and Leslie Brauer, Cherry, Jennifer, and Chantel Kolb, and special friend, Pastor William Russow.


A memorial has been established.