Robert J. Colby
Robert J. Colby, 82, of
131
High Road,
Newbury, husband of the late Lucille M. (Comeau) Colby, died Saturday
June 12, 2010 in the Merrimack Valley Hospice House,
Haverhill,
following his battle with cancer.
Born
on November 12, 1927 in his High Road home, the son of the late William
T. and Rose H. A. (Sunman) Colby, he attended Newbury public schools and
was a graduate of Essex Agricultural and Technical Institute. Married in
1951, Mr. Colby raised his family and continued with the operation of
the High Road family farm both as a dairyman and hay farmer. He was
widely known for his salt hay harvesting.
Mr.
Colby served for many years as the Newbury Tree Warden, Fence Viewer and
Official Weigher of Hay. He was a longtime member of the St. Mark’s
Masonic Lodge AF&AM of
Newburyport
and a lifelong member of the First Parish Church of Newbury.
He
will be remembered by his family and friends as a mild mannered
gentleman who always found the time to make you feel welcomed.
He is
survived by two sons, Robert J. Colby, Jr., and his wife Laura and
Charles Colby and his wife Marie, all of Newbury; three daughters, Jane
Merrow and her husband John of Newbury, Diane Hennessey and her husband
David, of Kensington, NH and Catherine R. Colby of Newbury; seventeen
grandchildren, Amy, John and Noah Merrow, Ben and Betsy Colby, Jill Re
and Charles Colby, Jr. , Kyle, Corinne and Curtis Hennessey, Scott,
Rachel and Jane Allbright, and Nicholas H., Joseph H., Erin and Sarah
Colby; four great grandchildren, Julianna and Gracie Re and Gavin and
Mason Colby; a sister Elizabeth Colby of Newbury, and many nephews and
nieces. He was the father of the late Hallet and John Colby; brother of
the late George and William Colby, Gertrude Jackman, Dorothy Noyes and
Carolyn Relyea, all formerly of Newbury.
His
Funeral Service will be held Saturday, June 19, at 10:00 am in the First
Parish Church of Newbury, 20 High Road, Newbury. Family and friends are
respectfully welcomed. All are welcome to an outdoor reception to be
held immediately following at the Colby Farm on High Road, appropriate
footwear is recommended.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Whittier-Porter Funeral Home
of Ipswich. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in his name may be
made to the Salvation Army,
40
Water Street,
Newburyport, MA 01950.
