Kathryn "Kay" Colbert

On Tuesday, January 28, 2020, Kathryn “Kay” Colbert passed away peacefully with her husband (Jim), daughter (Penny), and son (Jamie) by her side at Suncoast Hospice Center in St. Petersburg, Florida at the age of 78.

Kay was born Kathryn Mary Jackobs in Superior, Wisconsin on July 30, 1941 to John & Eleanor Jackobs. After graduating from Superior East High School she attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Education. While at Madison she met and married her husband of nearly 55 years, B. James “Jim” Colbert. Jim and Kay were married on May 31, 1965. In the late 1960’s she began her career as a pioneer in computer programming at Madison Power & Light where she was the only female in her department. She later worked for an advertising agency in Chicago. In 1967 she and Jim moved back to Chippewa Falls where she continued her career as a computer programmer at Mason Shoe and then at the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire where she retired after 20 years of service.

In addition to being a loving wife to Jim, she was a devoted and inspirational mother to her two children, Penny & Jamie, and grandmother to her four grandchildren, Penny’s children, Bryce & Kaitlyn and Jamie’s children, Ella & Addison. Kay enjoyed sharing her many gifted talents with her children and grandchildren. She loved to garden, cook, sew, knit, quilt, paint, fish, play the piano, read, travel with her family, play cards for hours, work jigsaw puzzles, golf and watching the dolphins each morning while in Florida.

Kay was an inspirational role model and mentor to her children and grandchildren in so many ways. For close to 20 years Kay battled a rare form of cancer and with every diagnosis she managed to stay strong and positive in order to live her life to the fullest. Her strength and determination along with an incredible desire to enjoy those things so precious. No matter how she felt, she always put family first and never stopped her from traveling or spending time doing the things she enjoyed with the people she loved the most. She will be missed terribly and was deeply loved by so many.

Kay is survived by her husband, Jim; her children, Penny (Joel) Jurss of Austin, Texas and Jamie (Cindy) Colbert of Plymouth, Minnesota; and her four precious grandchildren, Bryce & Kaitlyn Jurss and Ella & Addison Colbert. She is also survived by her four loving siblings, Jack (Miriam) Jackobs, Nancy (Walt) McCarty, Helen (Fran) Manno and Steve Jackobs (Betty Weed); along with many nieces, nephews, and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Eleanor Jackobs.

Words cannot express how deeply she will be missed but her family has her gift of remembering what’s most important is quality of life and being around those you love above all else.

Please join the family for a visitation from 4 pm - 7 pm at Pederson-Volker Funeral Home, on, February 7th in Chippewa Falls. Her wish was for a private burial which will be attended by her close family members.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to a charity of your choice.