Obituary for Richard “Dick” H. Kolander Richard “Dick” H. Kolander, age 83 of Ann Arbor, Michigan, passed away Monday, November 26, 2018 surrounded by his family. Dick was born on December 2, 1934 to parents Henry and Katherine (Danner) Kolander in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He met and later married Martha Fairbanks on September 20, 1958.
He spent his life unselfishly and unwavering loving and caring for the love of his life. Together Dick and Mart enjoyed laughing and surrounding themselves with friends that loved life as much as they did. They welcomed everyone into their home, and generously shared their slice of life.
He was proud of his German heritage, which showed in his enjoyment of German Park and cooking sauerkraut dinners. He enjoyed many outdoor activities including golfing, boating, hunting, snowmobiling, and traveling. One of his favorite activities was giving back to the community he lived and worked in with the local Kiwanis Club.
The men and their wives he met through the Kiwanis Club became family to him. He was an active member of Bethlehem United Church of Christ of Ann Arbor and later Christ Our King Lutheran Church of Saline. He looked forward to going to Florida each winter and spending time with even more friends.
His greatest joy came from being with his wife, children and grandchildren. Together, he and Marty provided a beautiful home, many adventures, and a zest for life as an example to his children. Although he worked hard and many hours, his biggest priority was always his family and those he loved.
Through his love, generosity, and advice he earned an important place in the hearts everyone he met. Dick started his career as a salesman for the Ann Arbor Newspaper and later transitioned into the automotive industry working for Boyer Automotive in the early 1960’s. He eventually purchased Boyer Automotive and expanded it into seven locations serving Washtenaw County known as the Parts Peddler Automotive Supply.
One of the proudest aspects of his business endeavors was mentoring and helping his employees’ succeed in business and in life. Dick is survived by his wife of 60 years, Martha Kolander; his children, Daniel (Sarah) Kolander and Betsy (Bret) James; his grandchildren, Robert Kolander, Danielle Kolander, Sadie Kolander, Henry Kolander, Westin James, Kate James, and Jennifer Ferguson. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, December 2, 2018 at Christ Our King Lutheran Church, 3255 Saline Waterworks Road, Saline, at 2 pm.
A memorial gathering will take place at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, at Dick’s request, please thoughtfully consider contributing in his name to: Leader Dogs for the Blind, 1039 S. Rochester Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48307, 248-651-9011 or www. leaderdog.org/donate/ To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Richard “Dick” H. Kolander please visit our Sympathy Store.
Upcoming Events Memorial Gathering , DEC 2. 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Christ Our King Lutheran Church 3255 Saline Waterworks Road Saline, MI, US, 48176 Order Flowers for the Memorial Gathering Guaranteed delivery before Richard “Dick”‘s Memorial Gathering begins. Memorial Service , DEC 2.
2:00 PM Christ Our King Lutheran Church 3255 Saline Waterworks Road Saline, MI, US, 48176 Order Flowers for the Memorial Service Guaranteed delivery before Richard “Dick”‘s Memorial Service begins.
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