Evelyn Kolbe, veteran NACo leader, Board member, dies Nov. 20

NACo Board member and former president of the Michigan Association of Counties, Evelyn Kolbe, died Nov. 20 at her home in Hesperia, Mich. after a long battle with cancer. She was remembered as a compassionate and committed servant to the people of Oceana County and Michigan, and a stalwart NACo advocate.

“Evelyn was a very kind and compassionate woman,” said Timothy K. McGuire, who long served with Kolbe as Michigan Association of Counties’ executive director. “She was a dedicated public servant, and she took her positions on the NACo Board, MAC Board and other boards at the local level quite seriously. She was unfailingly passionate about the work she did.”

Kolbe had an extensive NACo resume. Over the past nine years, she served on NACo’s Health, and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Steering committees, Programs and Services Standing Committee, Healthy Counties Initiative Advisory Board, Membership Committee, the Rural Action Caucus and the Women of NACo Leadership Network.

In 2015, Kolbe was honored by NACo as the Recruiter of the Year for her efforts to encourage other counties to join the organization during the 2014–2015 term.

“Evelyn was a dedicated and compassionate public servant,” said state Rep. Larry Inman, who served with Kolbe on the MAC Board. “Local government was her passion, and her strong advocacy efforts made a big impact both on the Michigan Association Counties’ Board and the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) Board. She always kept her positive attitude, even when times were tough.”

Kolbe is survived by her husband, Ed; six children, 13 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and two sisters.

Funeral services were held Nov. 23.