Victoria Lucille Kolb
February 14, 1925 - October 19, 2022
Obituary
BARNEVELD / DEERFIELD, Ill. - Victoria L. “Tory” Kolb, age 97, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022. She was born on Feb. 14, 1925, in Glen Ellyn, Ill., to Ferdinand and Lucile Larson. She moved to Denver, Colo., at age 4, where she grew up climbing mountains, skiing and sleeping under the stars. She loved the Rockies and was forever a press agent for the state of Colorado.
Victoria graduated from East Denver High School in 1942, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Ill., in 1946, a Master of Arts in Mathematics Education from the University of Illinois in 1949 and post graduate work at Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.
She served as a mathematics teacher in School District No. 71, Champaign, Ill.; mathematics teacher and counselor at Waukegan Township High School, Waukegan, Ill.; mathematics teacher at the Lago Community High School for Standard Oil New Jersey on the Island of Aruba, Netherlands Antilles; was a consultant and mathematics teacher at Evanston Township High School, Evanston, Ill.; college counselor and Dean of Girls, North Chicago High School, North Chicago, Ill.; and mathematics teacher at Deerfield High School, Shepard Junior High School and School District No. 109, Deerfield, Ill.
Her career-related activities were: State Judge, Illinois Junior Academy of Science, Champaign, Ill.; advisor, Illinois Mathematics League Contest; Exhibit Chairperson, National Association of Deans of Women Convention, Chicago, Ill.; member of the Youth Division of the Evanston Council of Social Agencies, Evanston, Ill.; Information Chairperson, National Association of Deans of Women Convention, Chicago, Ill.; sectional speaker - 10th summer meeting, National of Teachers of Mathematics, Madison, Wis.; and Regional Judge, Illinois Junior Academy of Science, Northbrook, Ill.
Civic activities included: Director Supervisory Board Deer Park Federal Credit Union, Deerfield, Ill.; Secretary, Iowa County Library Planning Committee, Dodgeville, Wis.; active participant in the Barneveld Lutheran Church, Barneveld, Wis.; participant in the Women’s Health Initiative Study, Madison, Wis.; President, American Field Service, Deerfield, Ill.; and Alumni Board of Governors, Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Ill.
Victoria’s awards included: Distinguished Service Citation, Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Ill.; Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities; Who’s Who in America; Who’s Who of American Women; associate member of Illinois Retired Teachers Association; and associate member of Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association.
On June 26, 1954, Victoria married Guenther Kolb. They settled in Deerfield, Ill., and raised their three daughters. For 57 years, the family cabin in northern Wisconsin was for her and her family a very special retreat for water sports, birdwatching and enjoying “God’s Country” to the fullest. She also enjoyed camping and traveling with her husband and family and traveled through much of Europe, Canada, the Caribbean and across much of the United States. She enjoyed participating in many Elderhostels.
Victoria and Guenther fell in love with southwestern Wisconsin's natural beauty and spent their retirement years in Barneveld. They permanently protected their land by placing it in the Driftless Area Land Conservancy.
Victoria is survived by her daughters, Wendy (Mike) Harris, Deborah (Kevin) Magee and Katherine Kolb. She is further survived by grandchildren, Vicky Harris, Tony (Katie) Harris, Alex (Kristine) Harris and their families; four nieces, one nephew and their families.
A memorial service will be held at ATTIC ANGEL, 8301 Old Sauk Road, Middleton, at 10 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022.
The family would like to thank the staff at Attic Angels for their compassionate care. Memorials may be made to Driftless Area Land Conservancy, 206 S. Iowa St., Dodgeville, WI 53533 (www.driftlessconservancy.org) or ELCA World Hunger (elca.org/hunger). Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.
Gunderson Camacho Mount Horeb
Funeral & Cremation Care
500 N. Eighth St.
(608) 437-5077