Ida Kolb Obituary

Ida Mae Zink was born to John and Ruby Zink at their Hermosa home in Durango on April 19, 1941 and was named after her paternal grandmother. Ida died on March 9th from respiratory complications resulted from her long term COPD.

The family moved to the Waterfall Ranch when Ida was three years old. She attended schools in Durango and graduated in 1959 from Durango High School.

Ida attended and graduated from Arizona State University where she met Don Kolb. They married In June, 1964 in Durango. Later, in Florida, Ida received her master's degree in education.

She worked a few years for the Maricopa County Arizona Juvenile Courts. She later worked as a florist in Durango before the family moved to Florida.

Ida's career was in special education, where she was an acclaimed teacher in the Polk County Florida School System for over 20 years. After Don died, Ida returned to Durango and built a home in the Animas Valley where she lived, with her daughter Dana and granddaughter Kenzie.

For the next thirty years, Ida engaged herself in volunteer work with Alternative Horizons, the Humane Society Thrift Store and the Methodist Thrift Store (she was very knowledgeable in useful recycling and reselling), Our Place at Gateway, and reaching out to her neighbors and family when they needed assistance. At the First United Methodist Church, Ida was known for the many ways she served others with her friendliness and many freely given capabilities. The office staff spoke of her 'magic' where everyone knew they could count on her quiet dependability and her fine sense of humor.

Ida's relationship with her only grandchild, Kenzie, was deep and devoted. She was the driver for after school activities and appointments as well as attending all functions in which Kenzie participated. She was an accomplished gardener; and she was a talented, well known, and prodigious craft woman.

The extended Zink family all considered her our loving, even-handed, deeply spiritual center. She is survived by her daughter Dana Hoffman and granddaughter Kenzie of Durango, and daughter Kelly Schulz and son in law Eric Schulz of Florida; her sister Anne Putnam, and brothers and wives Nelson and Chalona of Taos, Ed and Patti and Jerry and Karen of Durango; as well as numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Durango, at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18, 2015.

Contributions can be made to Durango Education Foundation 201 E 12th St, Durango; the Methodist Thrift Shop 986 E 2nd Avenue; and Our Place Grandview or the Methodist Christian School (write preference in check memo line) at First United Methodist Church 2917 Aspen Drive, Durango 81301.