Funeral Services for Willeyene Kolb, age 73, of Bison, SD will at 10:30 A.M. Thursday, March 17, 2011 at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bison with Pastor Gerhardt Juergens, officiating. Burial will be in the Date Cemetery at 2:00pm on Saturday, March 26, 2011.


Visitation will be 1:00 to 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home and on Thursday, one hour prior to services at the church in Bison.


Serving as casketbearers are Ardel Reder, Bob Reder, Jeff Kolb, Doc Sapp, Wyatt Miller and Russel Nelson. Honorary casketbearers are Joe Smaltz and all of Willeyene's grandchildren, nieces and nephews.


Doris Willeyene Kolb was born July 27, 1937 to Gerald and Juanita (Wallace) Sapp in Rockport, Illinois. In her early years, the family lived in several rural communities in the Rockport area. At the age of 10, they moved to Hull where Willeyene attended elementary
school and the West Pike High School. After school, she was employed as the telephone switchboard operator in Hull.


Willeyene met Eldred Kolb when he came to town with his Air Force Buddy, Melvin.
They remained in contact and friends with Melvin and his wife their entire lives. In 1960, Willeyene moved to Denver, Colorado to live with an Aunt and Uncle and worked in a factory. At that time, Eldred was hospitalized in Denver. They were married July 2, 1961 in Pittsfield, Illinois.


Following Eldred's discharge from the service, they returned to the family farm. In February 1967, they purchased the farm from Eldred's parents when his parents retired and moved into Bison.


Willeyene spent many hours working in the fields, with summer fallowing being a favorite job; helping Eldred with his spraying business and tending to the livestock. She worked diligently compiling information for the Kolb Family History Book, and the upkeep of the Date Cemetery was a priority. She enjoyed making baby blankets, embroidering, and visiting with people.


Willeyene passed away on Friday, March 11, 2011 at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger, N. D.


Surviving Willeyene are two sons and daughters-in-law, Dwight and Christy Kolb, Duane and Daphne Kolb, 3 grandchildren, Alyssa, Stephanie, and Jacob Kolb all of Bison, her twin brother, Jack (Caroline) Sapp and a sister, Dorothy Green all of Hannibal, Mo.


Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Eldred; a sister, Mildred Sapp; and a brother-in-law, Roy Green.


A memorial has been established.