Jeffrey Barnes Kolb, 74, of Vincennes, IN, died on February 7, 2026, in Indianapolis, IN, following heart surgery. He was born in Fort Meade, MD, on May 28, 1951, to Joe and Norma (Schumacher) Kolb. He was married to Deborah (Nosko) Kolb for 52 years and together they had three children: Justin, Joanna, and John.
Jeff, as he was known to family and friends, lived and practiced law in Vincennes for 50 years, where he was the senior partner at the Emison Law Group. A respected authority on Indiana estate planning and inheritance law, Jeff successfully pushed for reforms to both statute law and best practices.
The youngest of three children, Jeff and his sisters, Joanna (Phillips) and Jacqueline (Winterbottom), grew up in the towns and military bases where his father, a U.S. Army officer and then a Census Bureau worker, was assigned. He graduated from New Albany High School in 1969 and attended Indiana University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in political science and economics in 1973 and a Juris Doctor degree in 1976. More importantly, he met his soulmate Deborah Nosko, whom he married on June 2, 1973.
The annual summer gatherings at Tuckiana Point, his extended family’s lake cabin, were some of Jeff’s favorite times in life. He spent countless hours driving the motorboat, manning the grill, and doing the constant maintenance and improvement that have preserved Tuckiana Point for four generations. His children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and in-laws all have vivid memories of building docks, felling trees, hauling stones, and many other projects under Jeff’s tireless direction. But there were also quieter moments with the children, and those were perhaps the times he cherished the most. There were slow evening boat rides, games of chicken tracks, and campfires on the point. One of Jeff’s favorite things was to brush his grandchildren’s hair in the evening, lovingly working out the tangles of the day.
Jeff loved Vincennes. He was a familiar sight on his regular morning walks up Washington Avenue, waving at passersby. He would sit on the porch swing at his Audubon Road home, chatting with friends and offering popsicles to the neighborhood children or bandaids when they scraped their knees.
Jeff and Deborah travelled widely, visiting Europe, China, Egypt, South America, and much of the United States. He was a loyal fan of the Indiana Hoosiers and was thrilled to see the football team triumph at the Big Ten Championship and the Peach Bowl.
Joining Emison Law in 1976, Jeff specialized in probate, property, and estate law. He wrote state legislation: the Indiana Power of Attorney Act in 1991 and the Indiana Legacy Trust Act in 2019. In 1980, he received a Citation of Merit from the Indiana State Bar Association for an article written for its magazine Res Gestae. In 2004, he received the Probate Trust and Real Property Section Lifetime Service Award of which he is the only recipient. In 2006, he was selected to the Hall of Fame by the General Practice Section of the Indiana State Bar Association. In 2009, he received a Presidential Citation for his work on the Unauthorized Practice of Law from the Indiana State Bar Association. In 2015, Jeff was named Top Lawyer in Indiana Trusts and Estates. In 2019, Jeff received the Sagamore of the Wabash, which is Indiana’s highest civil award. In 2024, the Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum (ICLEF) honored Jeff’s 44 years of service with its Excellence in Continuing Education Award.
Jeff published extensively on estate law, writing 20232A: Special Valuation of Farm and Business Real Property; Henry’s Indiana Probate Law and Practice, Volume 8; Indiana Estate Planning System; Indiana Tax and Administration System for Trusts and Estates of Decedents; Indiana Guardianship System; “Payment of Estate Taxes” Estate Planning Handbook, as well as many articles, presentations, and guides. He also wrote the history of Emison Law in Lunch with the Partners – Historical Vignettes from a 200 Year Old Law Firm.
Jeff’s life in Vincennes included extensive public service, especially in educational causes. He was a member and president of the Vincennes Community School Board for eleven years. He was a member and president of the YMCA board of directors, a member of the Vincennes Education Foundation and president of the Knox County Community Foundation. He served on the Wabash Valley Estate Planning Council as a founding member and first president. He was president of the Knox County United Way and president of the Vincennes Civitan Club. He was a member of the Old Town Players, Inc., Old Northwest Corporation and Fort Knox II Committee, an Ad Hoc Committee of the Indiana Historical Society. He was a senior warden at St. James Episcopal Church, as well as a founding member and first president of the Old Northwest Running Club.
Jeff is survived by his wife, Deborah; his sisters Joanna Phillips and Jacqueline Winterbottom; his three children and their spouses: Justin (Kirsten Fryer), Joanna (J. P. Rutigliano), and John (Laura Moore); and seven grandchildren: Rocco Rutigliano, Jeffrey Rutigliano, Joanna Kolb, Jacqueline Rutigliano, Olivia Kolb, Oscar Kolb, and a granddaughter expected by John and Laura in July. He is pre-deceased by his grandson Joseph Kolb. His grandchildren will remember him as P’pa, his children, as Dad.
A Celebration of Life will be held on March 21, 2026, 2:00-5:00 pm, at the Grand Bankquet Hall, 302 Main Street, Vincennes, Indiana. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Vincennes YMCA (https://www.vincennesymca.org), the Knox County Community Foundation (https://www.knoxcountycf.org/), the Vincennes Education Foundation (https://www.vcsc.k12.in.us/page/vincenneseducationfoundation), or a charity of your choice. Goodwin-Sievers Funeral Home is privileged and honored to be entrusted with the care of Jeff and his family.
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