Obituary of Douglas Kollmar

Douglas Kollmar of Basking Ridge dies at 95 Douglas Kollmar, of the Basking Ridge, died at Fellowship Village on Tuesday, April 24, 2012, after celebrating his 95th birthday the day before. Douglas W. Kollmar, known as Doug, was born April 23, 1917 in Newark, NJ, the youngest son of Otto and Adelaide Kollmar. Doug graduated from Maple Avenue School and Weequahic High School in Newark. Summers spent at the family home at the Jersey shore developed Doug's love of the sea. He served in the Coast Guard from 1941 to 1945, at one point in private sailing yachts commissioned to listen for enemy submarines off of Block Island and later on destroyer escorts. After the war he joined his bother John Richard (Jack) at Kollmar and Firpo Inc., a commercial art studio in New York City. Doug continued to work at Kollmar Studio Inc., but then focused his efforts on opening and running the Art Center in Bernardsville, in partnership with his bother. After the Art Center closed many years later, Doug opened and ran Art Services Inc., a framing and art business out of his home. In 1965, Doug moved to Basking Ridge when he married Mary (Mimi) Conkling, a noted New Jersey illustrator and watercolorist. They lived happily together for 35 years until her death in 2000. They were involved in the Somerset Art Association in Bernardsville. Doug enjoyed weekends sailing with his wife or friends on his boat that he kept on Long Island Sound. He and Mimi looked forward to traveling to Cape Cod or abroad. Doug enjoyed the music and fellowship of the Westfield Men's Glee Club for many years. Doug Kollmar was preceded in death by his parents Otto and Adelaide, brothers Halsey and John Richard, and his wife Mary Conkling. He is survived by his niece Denise Kollmar Greller. A memorial service will be held at the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church on Monday May 14 at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Habitat for Humanity or the Somerset Art Association. For more information please call the Gallaway and Crane Funeral Home at 908-766-0250 or to light an online condolence candle visit our website www.gcfuneralhome.com.