Charles E.M. Kolb ’73

Charles died July 13, 2023.

He was born Nov. 16, 1950, in Salisbury, Md. He attended St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Del., where he was co-editor of the school newspaper and librarian for the school band. He also received the Frazier Prize for outstanding service to his school. At Princeton, he majored in public and international affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School and graduated magna cum laude. His thesis was titled “The Beacon in the Tempest: A Study of E.M. Forster.” He was a member of Tower Club and elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

After Princeton, Charles attended Balliol College University of Oxford and earned a master of arts degree. He later returned to the United States, where he received a law degree from the University of Virginia.

Charles went into private practice with law firms in New York and Washington, D.C., including Covington & Burling. Then he joined the government, with senior roles in the Reagan and Bush administrations. After leaving government, he devoted himself to numerous organizations, including becoming general counsel of the United Way, followed by president of the Committee for Economic Development.

He was a prolific writer, contributing numerous articles and a book on White House policymaking. His dedication to advancing discourse on societal matters was evident throughout his career. He was an avid Francophone, serving on the boards of Alliance Française of Washington and Maison Française of Columbia University.

Charles will be missed by many, as shown by the reactions of the numerous classmates who noted his passing. The class extends its sympathy to his family.