- Date Of Birth: November 10, 1923
- Date Of Death: September 22, 2013
- State: Michigan
Colburn M. Spaulding, 89, of Midland, died Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013, at MidMichigan Medical Center. He was one of three children of William and Edith (Hess) Spaulding. Both his sister, Kathyrn Winston, and brother, Pierson Spaulding, predeceased him.
Colburn was born on Nov. 10, 1923, in Midland, where he grew up on Rodd Street and graduated from Midland High, Class of 1941. He served his country during World War II in the U.S. Army. Colburn married Helen Heppner also a Midland native, on Nov. 29, 1943, in New Orleans before leaving for military duty in the South Pacific. Their only son, Jon Spaulding, died in 2000. Colburn is survived by his wife, Helen; three nephews, sons of his sister Kathryn: Dr David Winston, Grant Winston, and Dr. Stuart Winston, all of Ann Arbor.
Colburn worked as an electrician for the Bay City Local 692 for 40 years. He began playing trombone in high school and enjoyed it so much that he continued to play in a dance band after he graduated. He was very fond of the memories he had of entertaining people with their lively music, especially the times his group played for fellow military personnel in New Orleans. Colburn led an active and athletic life. Colburn built his own cabin on Shupac Lake.
He was an accomplished ski instructor for 20 years, a fly fisherman, a hunter, and a doubles tennis player until he was 79 years of age. Colburn did like to sit down once in awhile, and when he did, it was either to read a book or do a crossword puzzle. More than anything else that can be said about Colburn is that he was a faithful and loving husband to Helen for over 69 years, and an absolutely wonderful father to Jon. Every day the weather permitted, they would go for outings with Colburn pushing Jon’s wheelchair and visually hunt for deer and birds together. He was a member of First United Methodist Church.
