Paul Earnest Colt, 90, of Fredonia, NY passed away peacefully on Dec. 17, 2009 following a courageous battle with colon cancer. His beloved wife of 65 years, Marion (Montfort) Colt and cherished daughter, Patricia (Colt) Welch, were by his side at the time of his death, as were other immediate family members. Born and raised in Brocton, NY, the third child of nine to Ray and Maude Reese Colt, he was a lifelong resident of the Fredonia area. In his early years, he helped tend the family farm
There, he came to appreciate the importance of meaningful hard work and developed the core values that characterized Mr. Colt throughout his life and for which he was most admired by family and friends until his final days. Mr. Colt retired from Fredonia's Red Wing Company in 1987, after 20 years of service as supervisor of refrigeration and processing of fruit, having previously been employed for 27 years by Welch Grape Juice Company in Brocton. He served his country during WWII from 1942-1946 in the United States Army, Company A, 358th Engineer General Service Regiment where he saw action in the European Theater of Operations.member of the Fredonia Presbyterian Church, he was a grape farming enthusiast and took great pride and joy in his home. Besides his wife and daughter, Mr. Colt is survived by a son-in-law, David E. Welch of Ballwin, MO; two granddaughters. Tricia W. Bruns (Robert) of Leesburg, VA, and Victoria Y. Welch of Austin, TX, as well as one great granddaughter, Olivia Leanne Bruns. Three brothers, Clyde Colt of Brocton, Roy Colt of Stockton and Wolcott Colt of Brocton also survive. Mr. Colt's parents, brothers, Floyd Colt and Alvin Colt, and three sisters, Beulah Markham, Beverly Caraker and Audrey Wright predeceased him.
Interment will be in Portland Evergreen Cemetery.