Grace Kolb, 88, of Parsons died at 10:41 p.m. Saturday, May 7, 2011, at Labette Health.

She was born on Aug. 31, 1922, at Chetopa to John H. and Clara May (Rodgers) Wertz. At age 2, her family moved to Oswego and later moved to a farm. She attended Stice School before moving nearer to Altamont, where she attended Rosedale School. She later attended Gore School near Oswego.

When World War II began, she worked at the Kansas Ordnance Plant. She later worked at the former Mercy Hospital until it closed, and then worked at Labette County Medical Center (now Labette Health). She was employed for 12 years at the hospital, with seven years in surgery as an operating room technician. She also worked for four years at the former Tom Broderick Co.

She married David Shoesmith on May 31, 1945, at Oswego. They later divorced.

She later married Otis Kolb on June 17, 1978, at First Baptist Church in Parsons. He survives.

She formerly was a member of First Assembly of God Church, where she taught Sunday school and children’s church in her youth. She later transferred her membership to First Baptist Church in 1960. She was a member of the Amoma Sunday school class and the Clara Sorenson Circle.

She and Otis enjoyed travelling and had visited most of the states in the U.S. and enjoyed spending time with all of their children. She also enjoyed quilting, gardening, games and puzzles.

In addition to her husband, survivors include three sons and daughters-in-law, Melvin and Beth Shoesmith of Copan, Okla., Darold and Rachel Shoesmith of Wichita and Gary and Julie Shoesmith of Winston-Salem, N.C.; a stepson, Dan Kolb and his wife, Pat, of Dodge City; two daughters, Esther (Shoesmith) Lewis of Parsons and Erlene (Shoesmith) Kerley, and her husband, Ray, of Murray, Utah; two stepdaughters, Sharon (Kolb) Majors and her husband, Wayne, of Ponca City, Okla., and Jean Ayers of Kalispell, Mont.; 18 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a son, Estes Ray Shoesmith; three brothers; and four sisters.

The service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Carson-Wall Funeral Home.

Memorials are suggested to First Baptist Church and may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, P.O, Box 942, Parsons, 67357.

Online condolences may be left at www.wallfuneralservices.com.