Obituary of Colby Herbert Quilliam

 Colby (Cole) Herbert Quilliam

September 28, 1934 – July 15, 2020

With great sadness we announce that Cole died on July 15th, 2020 at Peppi’s House TMC Hospice, in Tucson, Arizona.  His wife Robin, daughter Mary, and granddaughter Sarah were with him when he died. 

Cole was born on September 28, 1934 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada, but  grew up on a farm outside of Edmonton, Alberta. He graduated from Garneau High School in Edmonton, and then earned his Bachelor of Commerce degree  at the University of Alberta.  Cole articled in Edmonton and became a Chartered Accountant. He was a founding partner of Quilliam, Stuart & Company, an accounting firm in Edmonton.

Cole married and raised 4 children in Alberta:  Marjory, Cameron, Carol, and Charles. For many years, Cole served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Good Samaritan Society and was an active member of his church and the community. 

Cole married Robin Klaehn in 1984 and moved to Tucson, Arizona; embracing her children Bob, Melanie, Dulce, and Mary as his own. In Tucson, he founded Quilliam Management Services. He was a member of Desert Skies United Methodist Church.

An avid skier, Cole enjoyed skiing many hills in both Canada and the United States. He also enjoyed hiking:  he hiked the Grand Canyon five different times! Cole enjoyed restoring and driving classic cars. He and his wife, Robin, loved to travel. Together they visited nearly sixty countries.

Cole was a quiet philanthropist and loved business.  He loved his profession and his work. Cole worked right up until the day he went to the hospital.  As the old saying goes, “He died with his boots on.”

Cole is survived by his wife Robin Klaehn Quilliam, his siblings: Connie Lougheed [Don] and Hal Quilliam [Lorraine], his children: Robert Klaehn, Melanie Bucon [Kirk], Marjory Ariza, Cameron Quilliam [Sue], Dulce Proud, Carol Quilliam, Mary Klaehn [Susan], and Charles Quilliam, and his grandchildren: Jessica Bucon, Ian Bucon [Alejandra], Noah Bucon, Sarah Klaehn,  Stephen Quilliam, and Max Quilliam.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a memorial service for Cole will be held in the Memorial Garden at Desert Skies United Methodist Church on July 25th for his family only.