Arnold Fred Kolb

Arnold (Arnie) was born in Saginaw MI on November 22, 1922 to Fred and Martha Kolb. He attended Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Bay City Jr. College (now Delta College), and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he was awarded a BS in Chemistry. In 1943 he enlisted in the US Naval Reserve on the U of M campus. As a result of an injury, he received a medical discharge. After graduation from U of M Arnie was employed as a chemist by Union Carbide Corporation and Linde Aircraft near Buffalo NY. During this time Arnie worked in an isolated set of laboratories at Linde with other engineers designing components for the Manhattan Project and the resulting atomic bomb. In 1946, Amie transferred to the Dow Chemical Corporation (Research and Development) Midland, MI, and in 1947 to the Dow Corning Corporation where he established a microscopy laboratory.

Arnie met Virginia (Jinny) Leinecke on a blind date in 1947. They were married August 14,1948 in Detroit Ml, and they lived their life together in Midland, Ml. Their family included daughter Kathleen, daughter Sharron and son Mark. The family years were spent traveling, camping, and enjoying art and nature. They were members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Midland, the Chippewa Nature Center and the Midland Center for the Arts.

After retiring from Dow Corning in 1982, Arnie continued his interest in photomicroscopy and formed, with Jinny their company Natural Designs, which promoted the artwork for both of them. Arnie's colorful photographs of materials have been exhibited in more than 125 solo and group shows in museums and galleries throughout the United States and abroad

Arnie is survived by his daughters Kathleen Ann (Craig) Killian of Owosso MI and Sharron Elizabeth (Robert) Harker of Morristown NJ; four grandchildren: Jason Killian, Brandy Swanson, Emily and Tyler Harker, three great-grandchildren: Ellerie and Aidan Swanson, and Ansel Killian; his sister Dorothea (Robert) Jahn and nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his parents, his wife Jinny, and son, Mark Henry Kolb.