Kenneth E. Kolb

He was born at home on January 21, 1928 in Louisville, KY to Frederick & Lillian (Baisch) Kolb. He attended Louisville Male High School, which he loved to tell you was the oldest public high school west of the Allegheny Mountains.

In 1945, he enrolled at the University of Louisville, where he met Doris Jean Kasey in his freshman chemistry class. Realizing the semester was ending, he finally got up the nerve to ask her on a date to a University of Louisville vs Indiana University basketball game on December 15, 1945. The University of Louisville lost 59-62, but it was the beginning of a magical ride that would continue until her death in 2005.

Ken and Doris were wed on September 18, 1948 at the First Unitarian Church in Louisville. They honeymooned that weekend in Cincinnati on their way to Columbus, where they both entered the PhD program in chemistry at The Ohio State University. After graduating in 1953, they both went to work (for equal wages he would point out) at Standard Oil of Indiana in Whiting, IN, where Ken Jr. was born. In 1957, they moved to Corning, NY when he took a research position with Corning Glass. They loved Corning and sons Ron and Jerry were born there. Doris started the chemistry program at the new Corning Community College. Ken helped her and caught the teaching bug. That resulted in his taking a position at Bradley University in 1965 and moving to Peoria, IL. He taught full time until 1993 and part time until 2003, serving as chairman for two decades and continued as Emeritus Faculty. He received the Samuel Rothberg Award for Professional Excellence. During his career, he authored numerous professional publications, many co-authored with Doris. He was a visiting professor at University of Wisconsin three times. He and Doris loved Madison and their friends there. He lectured across the country on “The Many Facets of Glass” and co-authored a book on the subject with Doris. He and Doris created the Doris and Kenneth Kolb Chemistry Lecture, which has brought world class chemists, including three Nobel Prize winners, to lecture at Bradley. He was a member of the American Chemical Society since 1949.

He loved his family, chemistry, Bradley University, travelling… especially to London, Manhattan cocktails, “real” theater, art glass, “moderately” priced wine, and meals at Paparazzi with his family. Until his final days, he would correct people who ended sentences in prepositions, particularly “at”.

He is survived by his significant other, Jean Jost, who provided him much happiness in their years together. He is also survived by his sons Jerry (Laura) of Peoria and Ron of Decatur, his daughter in law Darci, as well as grandchildren Timothy Kolb, Caitlin Kolb, Melissa Wilkinson, Marci (Sam) Stitt, Kasey Kolb (Tyler Merritt), Abby (Joe) Kernin and Ben Heffel. He also remembers Ben Knuffman-Brewer, who saved his life and made his final Manhattan. He was preceded in death by his wife Doris and his son, Ken, Jr. He was thankful for the many people who took great care of him in his waning days.

A celebration of life will be held at the Universalist Unitarian Church in Peoria at 2 pm on Saturday, April, 30, 2022. Visitation will be one hour prior. A reception will follow with hors d’oeuvres and moderately priced wine per his instructions. Davison-Fulton Woolsey-Wilton Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Memorials contributions may be made to Bradley University for the Dr. Doris Kasey Kolb Women in

Chemistry Endowed Scholarship or Planned Parenthood of Illinois.