Kate Kolb was the best of us

We are all completely devastated that, on March 25, Kate Kolb passed away unexpectedly from a stroke. That Kate was healthy, active, young, and strong adds to our shock and to our profound grief. Her family, her friends, and so many other people are simply in disbelief.

Kate was good at so many things. She was a skilled artist, a competitive swimmer, a dedicated student, a loving teacher, an unwavering friend, a quiet leader, a fierce defender of children, a passionate ally to the mistreated, and so much more. But the thing Kate loved most was being a mom. Atop the list of wonders that Kate left us to appreciate and enjoy is her beautiful family.

In the few days since we lost Kate, so many people have reached out desperate to show their love and support for Kate’s husband, Hal, and their three children, one getting ready for his senior year, one wrapping up seventh grade, and a soon-to-be first grader. As you can imagine, or as you might know from your own experience, in these first days it’s hard to know what specific types of things will be most helpful to Kate’s family going forward.

Right now, we request you show your support only by making a contribution here. Please do not send food or anything else to Hal or other members of the family. What those of us closest to Kate will find most comforting in the coming days and weeks is knowing that her family has an abundance of resources so they can focus fully on their grieving, their time together, and, very slowly, their healing. Generosity is a fitting way to honor Kate’s life. Generous even in death, Kate donated her organs and she may save the lives of as many as eight people.

In addition to helping offset substantial hospital and memorial expenses, your contributions will help Kate’s family cover the ongoing costs of Type 1 Diabetes and food allergies; allow them to get dinner from a favorite restaurant like The Irish Rover or Polly’s Freeze; give them time to go bowling, play putt-putt, or have a night at the movies; and even take the trip Kate was planning to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado or Glacier National Park. More than anything, your generous contributions will allow Kate’s family the time to simply be present with one another alongside the love that Kate gave and will continue to give them. We ask that you please share this page far and wide so everyone has an opportunity to give.

At a later date, we will have a memorial for Kate and we will share those details as they are available. We will post any other updates here as well and we invite you to share your memories of and feelings for Kate here (or pass them along to her siblings Chris, Ben, or Megan).

We love Kate so, so much. We are lucky to have had Kate in our lives and we are all immensely better people for having known and loved her. Because she made our lives so much richer in countless different ways, we cannot even begin to imagine how much we will miss her. Yet, we know the love Kate gave to us and to the world will live forever.