The Redwood gazette., 1935-04-11
Business to Pause During
P. ]. Kolbet Rites TODAY
Services at St. GATHERINGS
Church at 10 a. m. for
Prominent Citizen
Failed to Rally Following,
Operation in Hospital
at Minneapolis

bet, owner of the Kolbet Dairy
and one of Redwood Falls most
prominent businessmen, will be
heid at 10 a. m. today in the
Church of st. Catherine, Rev.
Godfrey O'Sullivan officiating.
Burial will be in the Redwood
Falls cemetery.
Pail bearers will be Joseph R.
keefe, Joseph M. Corbett, W. M.
Smith, Adolph Balko, L. R. Ewart
and Herman Hillman. Mayor C.
L. Lynn has asked that all busi-
ness places in the city close from
IO to 1880 a. m. The Kolbet
Dairy will be closed from 9 until
noon.
One of the best known butter
makers in the northwest, Mr.. Kol-
bet, who was 81 years old, died
at 10 a. m. Monday in the Eitel
hospital, Minneapolis. He had
been ill for two weeks and suffer-
ed relapse Saturday afternoon
after he had returned somewhat
improved April 8 from Rochester
where he had been a patient since
March 27. Taken to Minneapolis
Saturday night, an operation was
performed at 2 a. m. Sunday. but
he failed to rally.
AT the bedside at the time of his
death were his son and daughter
in-law, Mr.. and Mrs. Herbert Kol-
bet, another son, Leonard and a
daughter, Mrs. A. L. Schrichte of
Rushville, Indiana. Mrs. Kolbet
and two other daughters, Mrs.
Earl Rowland of Los Angeles and
Marjorie Ann, were on their way
from California and did not ar
rive until Tuesday. Other sur
vivors include two sisters, Mrs. AL
bert Light and Mrs. Jack Sheri-
dan, both of Spokane, Washing
ton and four grandchildren.
Mr.. Kolbet was born at Dubu-
que, Iowa, the son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Leonard Kolbet. When 13 years
old his father died and he aided
his mother in operating a general
merchandise store which his faith
er had owned. He later moved to
North Washington, Iowa, and
while making his home there took
a dairy course at Iowa State Uni
versity at Ames. Mr.. Kolbet mar
ried Miss Anna Cecilia Zimmer at
North Washington, February II,
1903, and after working in cream
cries there learning the trade he
entered the business for himself
purchasing creamery at Winne-
bago, Minnesota, in 1912.
The Winnebago creamery was
sold in 1913 and another purchas-
ed at Renville. In 1915 Mr.. Kol-
bets butter exhibit at the Nation
al Creamery Buttermakers asso-
citation convention in Milwaukee
placed first with a score of 97.25,
a record score for butter made in
gathered cream. Other honors
followed through the years and
the walls Of the office of the pre-
sent dairy building are lined with
certificates and diplomas won at
various exhibitions extolling the
excellent quality of his pro-
duct. Mr.. Kolbet served as mayor
of Renville during the World War.
D.sposing of the Rcnville busi-
ness in 1920 the Kolbets spent
several months in Washington
and then returned to Heron Lake.
where they operated another
creamery for eight months. Nov
ing to Redwood Falls in 1921, Mr..
Kolbet bought his present business
from Chris Jensen, the creamery
then being located in the building
at Mill and Third streets, recently
vacated by the Dittbenner and
Gluth Implement company. Be-
Cause of the rapid expansion of
the business, the present structure
was erected on Bridge street. In
recent years, Mr.. Kolbet's sons,
Herbert and Leonard, have been
associated with him.
Probably no citizen Of Redwood
Falls had a wider acquaintance
with residents Of the surrounding
territory or contributed more in
recent years toward the develop
ment Of the city as a commercial
center. His opinion on matters Of
public interest was widely re-
spected and his advice frequently
sought. Redwood Falls will par
ticulariy remember him for his
quick decision to have scrip money
printed during the bank holiday,
with which he purchased cream
when other markets were closed.
The money, bearing his signature,
circulated as freely as u. s. cur
rency here for several days and
enabled many farmers to obtain