Our patriarch, protector, and handsome man in uniform James "Jimmy" Kollenberg scouted ahead to his last station to be with our Lord on Friday, May 7. James, age 74, of Orlando, Florida died peacefully in hospice after a short and valiant battle with aggressive prostate and bone cancer. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio to Roy A. and Blanche Kollenberg; he married the love of his life and high school sweetheart Julia Ann (Little) on June 21, 1969.

He graduated from the Ohio State University with a B.A. in Political Science and entered military service in 1970. He worked tirelessly in Army Aviation for 18 of his 21 years of service as well as in plans and as a training officer. Parachutist. Infantryman. Senior Army Aviator. He retired a decorated Officer at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1991. While still working full-time active-duty military he earned a Master of Arts in Management in 1989 and a Master of Business Administration in 1991 from Webster University then went on to a rewarding and productive second career at Lockheed Martin in Orlando, Florida from 1999 to 2012. Working on the WARSIM (Warfighter's Simulation) Team he was awarded the Lockheed Martin Information Systems Galaxy Award in 2003, and he received the Lockheed Martin's Nova Award for Teamwork at the 11th annual Nova Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. in 2005 for developing successful verification and testing protocols. WARSIM was selected as one of the top five defense department programs in 2004.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 51 years, Julia Kollenberg, daughter Sandy Kollenberg (and husband Jeff Hunteman) of Salmon, Idaho, daughter Heather Kollenberg of Boise, Idaho, and brother Roy G. Kollenberg of Maineville, Ohio, and family felines Jerilyn and Twilight.

The same man who was Pilot/Gunner qualified in the AH-IS COBRA helicopter, and wore and bought his daughters T-shirts that read "Peace through superior firepower", bottle fed neonatal kittens, nursed to health many ill and injured dogs and cats, and paid the veterinary bills for the most tattered of abandoned cats, often knowing them by name.

Written of him in one of his evaluations: "Strong ethical example to his students and peers in thought, word, and deed." He was at the forefront and in the trenches caring for stray and abandoned animals in Orlando, Florida. He was a full contributor in words and deeds to a generation and movement that created standard and universal spay and neuter programs, standard trap-neuter-return programs for managing feral cat colonies in urban settings, achieved no-kill status in animal shelters large and small throughout the nation; and spawned places like Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. He ushered in an era in which we better understand, seek, and nurture the human-animal bond, and the companionship and fulfillment that pet ownership brings to our lives. Author and no-kill movement advocate Nathan Winograd inscribed in a copy of his book to him, "James, never doubt we'll succeed". We will succeed because of dedicated and passionate individuals like James, who along with his peers, mainstreamed compassion for all animals and led by example. His legacy of compassion will live on.

Funeral Mass is scheduled for 10:00 am on Friday, May 21, 2021 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 1501 N. Alafaya Trail, Orlando, Florida. All are welcome to attend and celebrate James Kollenberg's life.

In lieu of flowers we ask that you make a donation in James' name to your local animal shelter or animal welfare non-profit or to any of these charities: SPCA Florida (spcaflorida.org), Alley Cat Rescue (saveacat.org), Soi Dog Foundation (soidog.org), Lotsa Love Pet Rescue & Adoptions @lotsalovepetrescueflorida.

The family of James Kollenberg invites you to leave a message of condolence on the Tribute Wall created in his memory.