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LEE A. COLBATH, Darien, Connecticut

 

Born in Howland, Maine on Nov. 16, 1923
E-mail: Lcolbath1- at -aol.com
Education: Studied mechanical engineering at the University of Maine. Graduated in 1950 with a B.S.

Family:

Wife is Paula G. Lindner (Indiana)
Children: 2 boys and 2 girls. Gchildren: 4 boys and 3 girls.
Parents were Lee R. Colbath and Helen M. Kunath (N.J.)
Uncle: Wesley, son: Paul. His sons: Randy & Stewart

Grand father Charles H. brother, Marvenus
Great Grand father Smith
Grt Grt Grandfather John
All buried in the Howland cemetery. All were from Maine. It seems that Colbaths came to Maine early after arrival from Europe. No horse thieves to the best of my knowledge.
Siblings: 2 sisters: Marion Sage and Lois Varrone.
Celeb friends: None.
Medical: Am in pretty good health but have had my share of bypasses, hernias, new knees etc.
Military: Served with the 12th Armored Div in WW11 which spearheaded Patton’s 3rd Army in its drive to the Rhine. Regularly attend reunions, which now number 56 con-secutive. Write monthly news column for the 495th AFA battalion, which is printed in the Hellcat News.
Occupation: Am now retired but worked for many years for Rockwell Int. and Power Systems Corp involved in sales and marketing of large components (steam turbines and valves) to the electric power industry.
Pets: We have had dogs and cats over the years and now have a golden lab.
 Phone: 203 655 2439
Hobbies: Many, including golf, wood carving etc.

Comments: My wife & I visited England about 20 years ago and we traveled to Scotland. As we passed through the lake country and into the Highlands I told her I had a strange feeling that this is where my ancestors came from but I was not able to find any traces of Colbaths over there.

 

This is Lee’s second trip to the plate. He was first profiled July ’98

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Sign over a Gynecologist's Office: "Dr. Jones, At Your Cervix." Tim Colbath, Dover-Foxcroft, Maine.

Dear Dick, You know you’re getting “marvelously” mature when: You finally get your head together and your body starts falling apart. Ruth Coolbeth-Jones, Hillsboro, VT.

Hi this is Jennie Coolbroth.  I've been meaning to get in touch with you I really enjoy the little newsletter that is sent out every once in awhile. I have three children, Justina Coolbroth also in South Portland, John Coolbroth in Florida, and Brian Coolbroth-Worcester living with me.  Glad to hear from you take-care, Jennie Coolbroth, South Portland, Maine. I’ve been having early April Fool’s fun with Jennie. I told her I live and work in South Portland too (which is true, except it’s on the other side of the continent) and we’re exchanging e-mails trying to figure out where we may have seen each other. Tee hee.

On an Electrician's truck: "Let Us Remove Your Shorts."

Hi Uncle Dick, My mom was telling me she enjoys you and that you fear God as much as I do. Do you live in California also? What newsletter do you write? How’s driving that seniors bus going?  I live in Cincinnati, Ohio with my beautiful wife and 4 children ages 15, 13, 11, and 5.  Two boys and two girls. I also have a daughter by a previous marriage 22 yrs old, she is married to a great guy, whose grandfather started 17 churches in Indiana. Wow It’s late I gotta go, type at you later!    Tim Colbeth-Barry, Cincinnati, Ohio

Now see, this is what makes doing the pain-in-the-butt Ahsowhat all worthwhile. Here is my sister’s son I never even knew about. Ranks right up there with discovering my father’s brother I didn’t know existed and all the rest of you cool cuzes.

On a Maternity Room door: "Push. Push. Push."

Hi Honey, Friday: Good news: My daughter has held down at least two jobs for as long as I can remember. She has worn many hats. One day she just couldn't take it any more, while looking through the newspaper she saw an ad for truck driving school, to start in three days, at a college in Norfolk.  She enrolled and has completed her pretrial exam.  Monday she takes her road test.  She has been pre-hired by Warner. I'm very proud of her. Please pray for her.

Monday: Patty passed her test today. She will be bused to Springfield Wed.  I'm so proud of her. Patty is my daughter. Laura is her daughter - my grand daughter. We went to the show Sunday to see Gods and Generals.  Ralph really liked it.  Must be a man thing.  Oh, it was okay. I think I've got a handle on this computer now.  You have to tell me how to send pictures. I have a H/P Pavilion. Love you and God bless, Peg Colbeth-Hawkins, Chino Hills, CA.

In a Podiatrist's office: "Time Wounds All Heels.”

Dear Dad, Attack Iraq? For a woman who has an opinion on everything, it's hard for me to confess that I just don't know.  I definitely agree that Saddam is a very bad man, but so are those clowns in Africa, North Korea, China et al.  I also truly wonder/worry about Mr. Bush's motives. Mainly I guess I'm going to take the lemming approach, if the rest of the world backs us up, then I’m all for taking him out. Deb Colbeth-Nilssen, League City, Texas.

At a Propane Filling Station, "Tank Heaven for Little Grills."

Dear Dick, I am really interested in the next issue of the Ahsowhat. You said that there would be information on Peter Coolbeth. I think he is the link between our two families. May God Bless and Keep You Safe, Dennis and Carolyn Colbeth-Johnson, Enumclaw, Washington

b AHSOWHAT   PAGE  2   APRIL   2003

The Peter Colbeth Family of Machiasport Maine

1 PETER COLBETH [# 2565] s/o? was born at ? abt 1752; died at ? bet 1832-1840; married at ? bef 1772 Hannah ⁵ Libby, d/o Josiah Libby and Mary Stone; Peter Colbeth took up land at Bucks Harbor ME (now Machiasport) about 1772 and signed a petition in 1784 requesting a grant of the land [BHM pg 484].

During the Revolutionary War, Peter was mustered at Machias 24 Jul 1777 in Col McCobb's Regt [BHM pg 1327]. He was a Revolutionary War pensioner under act of 7 Jun 1832 (age 83, Machias) [BHM 1268].

Several children are assumed based on early census records. However, Hannah's age relative to the later children suggests problems with these assumptions.

2 JOEL W COLBETH [# 18499] s/o PETER COLBETH and HANNAH ⁵ LIBBY was born at Machiasport ME 8 Mar 1772; died at ? aft 1830; married at ? 20 Nov 1804 Susanna ⁶ Cole, d/o Ebenezer Cole and Elizabeth Wheeler Hall;

3 JOHN COLBETH [# 18505] s/o PETER COLBETH and HANNAH ⁵ LIBBY was born at ? abt 1789; died at ? bet 1850-1860; married at Machias ME 28 Jan 1816 Sally Clark [MachMR], d/o William Clark and Sally Crocker;

John was a farmer at Machiasport ME.

4 GEORGE COLBETH [# 2022] continued next month.

Dear Dick, I swear I must have lived on another planet during the Vietnam war. I'm really a 'news hound', but got married in 1960 at 17 guess it took me awhile to get hooked on the news like I am now. By the time the U.S. got really involved I was in my mid 20's. Of course there wasn't the TV coverage like there is now and was fortunate that neither Don or I knew anybody in Nam. IF we have this war with Iraq we might not support the government that got us there but really feel the troops will be supported, unlike Vietnam. Hope & pray that it doesn't happen!

Am doing fine. Anxiously waiting for spring. We had almost 50 degrees yesterday, today it was back in the 20's. Even colder for the next 3 days at least. The heating bill is a killer. We put in a new furnace last spring, the bill is still high. Don had some insurance money but we owed quite a bit on the house and Hudson is an expensive place to live (guess almost any place is, unless you go to the 'sticks' somewhere, that's not for me) am looking for maybe a townhouse. Have 30 years of stuff to get rid of.... just as soon as it warms up I'll have a BIG garage sale.  Marijean Colbeth, Hudson, Wisconsin

AHSOWHAT  PAGE 3  APRIL  2003

Fillers compliments of Toots Colbath-David, Minot, Me.              New Medicines for Women

Damitol – Take two and the rest of the world can go to hell!

Love The French – An actual letter home from Bosnia:

Dear Dad, A funny thing happened to me yesterday at Camp Bondsteel, Bosnia}:

   A French army officer walked up to me in the PX and told me he thought we Americans were a bunch of cowboys and we were going to provoke a war in Iraq. He said if such a thing happens, we wouldn’t be able to count on the support of France.

   I told him that didn’t surprise me. Since we had come to France’s rescue in World War I, World War II, Vietnam and the cold war, their ingratitude and jealousy was due to surface [again] at some point in the near future anyway.

   I also told him that is why France is a third-rate military power with a socialist economy and a bunch of pansies for soldiers. (tee hee) I additionally told him that America, being a nation of deeds and action, not words, would do

whatever it had to do, and France’s support, if it ever came, was only for show anyway. He began to get belligerent at that point, and I told him if he would like to, I would meet him outside in front of the Burger King and whip his ass (yahoo!) in front of the entire Multi-National Brigade East, thus demonstrating that even the smallest American had more fight him than the average Frenchman. He called me a barbarian cowboy and walked away in a huff. Dad, tell Mom I love her, Your Loving Daughter, Mary Beth Johnson, Lt.Col., USMC   (Rx from Marijean Colbeth, Hudson, Wi)

Dear Dick & Sandy, Just a line to let you know I’m still on my feet and am looking forward to receiving your next newsletter. Called up to your brother’s yesterday, but got no answer; guess they’re down in Connecticut playing Bingo. Love, Earl & Barbara Coolbeth, Hardwick, VT

Dear Dick, I’m not in South Portland much during the day Mon.-Fri. I work at Social Security so the only time would be on weekends and about the only place I go is Wal Mart only if I have to and to Shop n Save Mill Creek area, it’s an interesting thought you never know.  Well I have to pick up Brian so I’m outta here for now. Jennie Coolbroth, S. Portland, Maine.

Hi: cous,  Ron & I work for Village Originals for those two months.  We sell some of their products when we do Arts & Craft shows.  Our first show will be this month in Reno.  Last year in march it snowed, and we had to come home early.  Hope this year is nice.  Sound like you & SS worked out a deal.  Good for you.  We are driving to Beals Air Force Base today for some things.  So I will cut this short.  Best to you and yours.  Take care.  Bev Luce Colbeth, Platina, California

Hi Dick, Not much changed. We are still traveling around. We worked up in Idaho last summer to be with Dennis’ Mom. We lost Dennis’ Dad last April. She needed some help getting her feet back on the ground. They had been together some fifty years. Now she has to adjust to life on her own. We will return again this next summer. Right now we are in Tucson area visiting my parents. They have had more than their share of medical problems. We are just happy we were able to be here for them. I enjoy reading the Ahsowhat a lot. I like the family history stuff the best. Carolyn Colbeth-Johnson, Enumclaw, Washington

Opinion Poll: Last month I asked everybody to answer a couple of questions about their favorite stuff. The answers I got back were really cool and I wanted to print them but space is of the essence this month. Sorry.

Dear Dick, (Please bear with the composition of this letter-I still do not have the hang of using a computer) Your newsletters are read, from coast to coast. Thanks for your work, Dick, You are the most. Colbaths and Coolbreths, and others you see, look forward to jokes and kin history. I think you’re a swell guy, some say you’re a nut. But this is Valentine’s Day, so AHSOWHAT! Happy Valentine’s day to you and your loved ones. Bill Colbert, Biddeford, Maine

If you cloned Henry IV, would he be Henry V, Henry IV Jr., or Henry IV Part II? ‘enery the VIII? Why not?

b AHSOWHAT APRIL 2003 PAGE 4

The Secret

One day, one friend asked another, "How is it that you are always so happy? You have so much energy,

and you never seem to get down."

With her eyes smiling, she said, "I know the Secret!" "What secret is that?" To which she replied, "I'll tell you all about it, but you have to promise to share the Secret with others."

 "The Secret is this: I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly happy. I must depend on God to make me happy and to meet my needs. When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to HIS riches. I have learned most of the time I don't need half of what I think I do. He has never let me down. Since I learned that 'Secret', I am happy."

The questioner's first thought was, "That's too simple!" But upon reflecting over her own life she recalled how she thought a bigger house would make her happy, but it didn't! She thought a better paying job would make her happy, but it hadn't.

When did she realize her greatest happiness? Sitting on the floor with her grandchildren, playing games, eating pizza or reading a story, a simple gift from God.

Now you know it too! We can't depend on people to make us happy. Only GOD in His infinite wisdom can do that. Trust HIM! And now I pass the Secret on to you!

Amen and thanks to Betty Colbath-Hamilton, Clinton, Maine.

I started trusting God in 1976 when it finally sank through this thick Polack – maybe Irish - skull that He is God and I ain’t. My life has improved dramatically. Dick

How To Stay Young

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay him/her.

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. " An idle mind is the devil's workshop."  And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

Be ALIVE while you are alive.

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Dear Dick/Cools Cols Newsletter,

My Dad's original family was: Lawrence (Lorraine's dad) He had two girls Lorraine and Irene.  Orville, Dan and Nettie never had any children.  Bill had 10 and they all grew up in St. Paul, Minn. and I had lost contact with all of them.  One of Bills grandchildren saw the funeral notice when our two cousins died (Ron and Don died this year just hours apart but I do not have a copy of that obituary).  I got a couple addresses and wrote one first cousin (Cecilia) who responded and told me that out of the 10, only 5 are still alive.  I also discovered that the child of one of my cousins lives here in Lakewood, WA and I wrote to him and he was very excited to hear about a Colbeth living here and we are arranging to meet.  He has never known any of the Colbeth family because his dad died young and his Mom didn't connect with the Colbeths.

Just to complete your information, my Uncle Albert had one son (LeRoy in Michigan), Aunt Myrtle (Colbeth) Dahm (Wisconsin) had one son Roger, Uncle Bert (Michigan) had one daughter, Carolyn (Colbleth) Oliver.  Ruby (Colbeth) Benoy had 4 children and only two are alive, Marie and Bruce and I have lost track of both of those two first cousins.  Uncle Floyd inherited the old original Colbeth stage stop homestead.  Floyd had 6 boys and only two are still alive, Dick and Bernard.  Remember my first confusion of thinking you were my first cousin Dick Colbeth the first time I got your newsletter? 

What has been interesting is that since my Dad was the youngest, some of my first cousins were actually older than my Dad and so many of my first cousins naturally are pretty old now so I am trying to connect with their children.  Only my Aunt Myrtle (Colbeth) Dahm and Uncle Bert are still alive.

Since you seem willing to listen to all of this stuff, I just thought I would share my fun with you. 

Next I am going to try to get the widow of my first cousin who lives in Seattle and the child of my first cousin that lives in Lakewood and their children to all come out to our house this summer for a Colbeth family reunion.  Want to come?  Have you and Lorraine ever tried to figure out how we might be related?  I really can't imagine going back in time when I can't even keep track of those living.

The wife of my cousin Ron that died this summer suggested that if I could come to Wisconsin we might try to have a family picnic.  We have not done that since my Grandma Sara was alive and that was many, many years ago.

Guess I might try to see if I can get all of my living first cousins to complete a Family Tree starting with our Grand Parents and down to all living next generations. Then possibly I could make copies of it and get it out so that all of us at least once in our lives have the addresses or all of our cousins.  How about that as a project?  Maybe you could suggest a way that you could help me via your newsletter. Hope this makes some sense to you. Take Care, Cousin multiple removed, June Ann (Colbeth) Hassebroek, Carnation, Washington.

Dear Dick & all, Snow 1” or 2” at a time, no real spring thaw. Hope thaw is slow so water can run off. Roads would be hit the hardest, most are near rivers. Roommate change now & then. They go to the Hospital or Boss changes their room. The one I have now is the one I had when I first came here. She’s been moved up and down stairs – now can’t walk or doesn’t even try moving. Folks stay the same. Little change except older each day, so each is up and around best part of the day. That’s when they sometimes get their supper. Gordon & Joann check them in the evening and Ed helps during the day. Here Town meeting Tuesdays. Don’t hear from Hardwick area. Best wishes to all, Frances Coolbeth, Waterbury, Vermont

bAHSOWHAT APRIL 2003 PAGE 5

Dentist’s Hymn: Crown Him With Many Crowns. Ernest Coolbeth, Lyndonville, Vermont

Desperate for Creativity. Gift/Toy company pays 4% to 5% royalty for NEW product ideas. Last year, The Benders (invented in an airport while a guy was waiting for his flight bending pipe cleaners) sold over 1 million pieces! Cools/Cols are very creative people. Got an idea? Call 503-231-6465 or go to www.hogwildtoys.com.

Dinosaur demise cause: Gravity. Uh, huh children, that’s right. Gravity. Gravity was an accidental byproduct of God tweaking the universe and it killed them. Lucky for us. Actually, God originally created us to fly low and slow to be low-cost, nutritious and great–tasting dinosaur food. So gravity is a good thing. That’s where the term “Popcorn” for Dad came from don’t you know nuthin’ around here?

Q Earth Day: Personally, I am against nature. I don’t dig nature at all. I think nature is very unnatural. And dirty.

V  Easter: If you’ve never gone to an Easter Sunrise service, find a church that has one outdoors, preferably on a hill and attend. It’s a very moving experience. Set the alarm. Get up around 5 – that’s what usually kills me right there - dress really, really warmly, join in the singing and don’t forget to tip God, you cheap thang. George Washington’s been in church a hellofalot more than any other President, I know that one for dang sure.

Hiss & Vinegar. See that cartoon about unemployment benefits being taxed? Judge Judy would screech at the top of her lungs, “THAT’S OUTRAGEOUS!” Write to your Congressperson and protest. Talk about kicking a person when he or she is down!$#! Unemployed. No job. No money. No car. No pets. No pool. Yeah. Let’s tax his ass!

Laxative ad upsets Park Service. The National Park Service is FUMING over a commercial in which a park ranger pours a glass of Metamucil into Old Faithful in Yellowstone to help the geyser stay regular. Dunno why. It works for this old geezer

End April 2003 Ahsowhat