Barbara Elizabeth Kolb, 87, passed away on Monday, July 27, 2026, at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 am, Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Christ the King Catholic Church (1501 W. 26th St., Sioux Falls, SD). The family will greet friends for visitation from 4:00 - 6:00 pm, Friday, July 31, 2026, at Miller Funeral Home -Downtown Chapel (507 S. Main Ave., Sioux Falls, SD), with a wake and holy rosary service beginning at 6:00 pm.

Born on October 27, 1938, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to Ronald and Alice Baker, Barb lived a life defined by faith, kindness, friendship, and love. She graduated from Cathedral High School and attended Presentation College in Aberdeen, earning an associate degree. Barb started her career as a hard-working person in the Business Office at John Morrell Company. Barb was very honored to serve as Miss Sioux Falls in 1958.

On September 26, 1959, Barb married William (Bill) Kolb, the love of her life, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Sioux Falls, and together they built a life centered on family, friendship, and shared adventures. She and Bill also built apartments and became landlords to many people over the years. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to Court Reporter School in 1966; after graduating, she started a court reporting business with a friend. Barb was the first Federal Court Reporter in South Dakota. She continued this business until she retired.

Barb will be remembered for many things in her life, but none more than the beautiful person she was, inside and out. She loved her family with passion and her friends the same. She enjoyed playing Dominoes with her girlfriends every Tuesday and seldom missed because she treasured the time with her friends. She also played mahjong and over the years became very good at the game. She had a remarkable gift for making everyone feel welcome, valued, and loved. Barb never met a stranger and treasured every friendship she made. She celebrated the successes of others, genuinely cared for those around her, and often spoke of how blessed she was to have so many wonderful people in her life.

Golf was a great love of Barb's, and when the time came that she felt she should give it up, she missed it very much. On Sunday before she passed away, she talked about how much she still missed the game. She wasn't an avid fisherman, but she fished because she enjoyed being with Bill. They traveled to several foreign countries and spent ten winters in Lake Havasu. She was a passionate Vikings fan, and Sunday was set aside for her enjoyment of the game. Saturday afternoon always found Barb enjoying Mass at Christ the King Church.  Barb loved the Lord and lived her life as a testament to her love of God.

While in the hospital, Barb wrote several notes, and one was to her dear friend, Father Jim Breem. She wrote, "To one of my best friends and spiritual mentors!  Thank you, Jim, for being such a good friend to me and my family!" Another note said, "Dearest Jesus!  I hope and pray I have loved you enough!"  Barb didn't just talk the talk. She walked the walk!  A perfect example of Barb's generous heart was the love she had for her nephew, Vinnie. She loved him as her own son, and the bond they shared reflected her extraordinary capacity to love and care for others.

Barb made a big impression on all her family, but her nephew summed her up just perfectly. Andrew Baker wrote, "If you look up "lady" or "class" in the dictionary, her picture should be there. She was the definition of both, and many other superlatives you would use to define someone who lived their life with grace. While those of us who are still on this rock will mourn, celebrate, and miss her, I like to think she is in a better place, with her soulmate, Bill, having a cool beverage and smiling down on us still here. Bless you, Barb Kolb! A faithful member of Christ the King Catholic Church, Barb's deep love for God guided the way she lived each day. She leaves behind a lasting legacy of grace, compassion, friendship, and unwavering faith. Those who knew her will remember her warm smile, generous heart, and the way she made every person feel special.

Grateful for having shared her life are her sister, Annie (Bill) Strizich, Helena, Montana; brother, Condy Baker (Kasey), Sioux Falls, SD; brother-in-law, Tom (Vicky) Kolb, Sioux Falls, SD; sister-in-law, Jeri Baker; niece, Kathy (Bob) Puthoff; nephew, Vincent Baker (Kelly); and many other nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill Kolb; parents, Ronald and Alice Baker; brothers, Rich Baker, Gene Baker, Pat Baker, and Terry Baker; sisters-in-law, Evelyn Baker, Roberta Baker, and Ruth Baker.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to Christ the King Church or the Bishop Dudley house.