Donald Edwin Kolber

Donald was an only child, but grew up with many cousins and relatives around. He attended school in the Philadelphia area and he and his went to a local Episcopal church.

While he was in high school he worked at a butcher shop where he learned the appreciation of good cuts of meat, quality knives and the importance of keeping them sharp, which he practiced throughout his life.

He was very mechanically inclined, which he put to good use after he joined the Air Force during the Korean War. He never went to Korea but he saw many different air bases during his time in the service. He was a mechanic and later a crew chief on Boeing B-36 bombers as well as C-119 cargo aircraft (nicknamed the Flying Boxcar). Don’s primary duty station was at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington on the opposite side of the US from where he was born.

While in the Air Force in Spokane he met a young single mother, Zella Jane Olson and her son, Eric at a nearby Episcopal Church. They dated for a short time before they were married on November 14,1953.

On January 26, 1956, Don’s enlistment was up and he left as a staff sergeant. He and his new family moved to West Miami, Florida. Don stayed active in the Air Force Reserves for 11 years.

He began working for Pan American World Airways at the Miami International Airport. This was perfect for him because he could put his mechanical skills to good use in the sheet metal and jet overhaul shops.

A perk he and Zella enjoyed was that for a very low cost they could travel on Pan Am all over the world, which they did for many years.

Their house in West Miami was right on the Tamiami Canal and beyond it were the Everglades which would soon turn into a freeway and many housing projects.

Don coached Khoury League baseball in the area for 4 years, which was similar Little League.

Their younger son, Cory James was born December 28, 1961.

A few years before Pan Am went out of business they closed down the Miami operation and moved to Long Island to work at JFK International Airport. While they were in New York, Zella became a teacher in the Lindenhurst School District. They stayed there 10 years so that Zella would receive retirement from the school district.

While in NY they bought property in Homosassa, Florida, located in a large master planned community called Sugar Mill Woods. There they built a house and lived for the next 40 plus years.

The house was really just a base of operations for their many overseas trips. When they tired of flying, they became cruisers on several different cruise lines, traveling on over 150 cruises all over the world. Additionally, they purchased time shares in a number of different locations and traveled to them routinely. Planning their trips was a big part of Don’s retirement years and he managed those trips while always looking for a good deal.

After Zella was no longer able to cook, he took over the cooking and providing all meals for them. His other passion was grocery shopping, which he attacked with the same zeal as he did planning trips around the world.

Don had 2 children, Eric whom he adopted at age 3 and Cory James Kolber who was born in 1961.

Zella predeceased Don by just a few months when she died in August of 2025. His youngest son, Cory died May 29, 2022. Don is survived by son, Eric, grandsons, Neal & Shaune Kolber and 5 grandchildren-Elliott, Mia, Isaac, Kiera, and Naomi Kolber.