Max A. Kolbe, 66, Rockford, formerly of Aitkin

June 29, 1957 - May 21, 2024

Max Alan Kolbe, 66 of Rockford, MN formerly of Aitkin, MN died Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids due to complications from cancer.

Max was born June 29, 1957, to Max L. and Phyllis (Keckhafer) Kolbe in Rush City, MN. Growing up he worked on the family dairy farm. He graduated from Aitkin High School in 1975. He went on to attend Vocational College in Staples, MN graduating in 1977 with a degree in farm mechanics. He married the love of his life, Catherin Lydia Denning, on July 22, 1983 in Aitkin, MN. They welcomed two children, Joshua in June 1983 and Natasha in November 1985.

Most recently, he was an apartment manager for Lifestyle Inc., working at their Rockford and Dassel properties. In his earlier years, he was a DJ for KKIN radio station out of Aitkin where he also worked as an engineer for Aitkin, McGregor, and Crosby High School sports. He also worked at Stern Rubber Industries in Aitkin & Brainerd for many years. In his free time, he enjoyed spending time in the vegetable or flower garden, having bonfires, and he loved music, although 50’s and 60’s was his absolute favorite.

He is survived by his wife Catherin of Rockford; son, Joshua (Tara) Kolbe of Brainerd; daughter, Natasha (Derreck) Wyatt of White Bear Lake; granddaughter Elliott Tuck of Little Canada; Siblings, Rachel Kolbe of Colorado Springs, CO; Sujan (Maharaja) Mendoza of Alachua, FL; Barbara Kolbe of Colorado Springs,CO; Karen (Wil) Becker of Vancouver, WA; Bill Kolbe of Brooklyn Center, MN; and Catherine Kolbe of Rockford, MN; brother-in-law John Denning of Crosby, MN and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Darrel Kolbe, and his niece, Kamini Pederson.

We will celebrate Max's life on what would have been his 67th birthday. Services will be Saturday, June 29, 2024, at 1:30PM at the Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Big Lake, MN.