Kolby Dale Lankford

Sept. 1, 1977 - March 10, 2009

Kolby Dale Lankford, 31, of Vacaville, Calif., died on Tuesday, March 10, in Truckee, Calif., unexpectedly.

Kolby was born on Sept. 1, 1977 in Elk City, Okla., and raised with his sister, Crystal, and brother, Kris, by loving parents, Arnold and Donna Lankford. Kolby met the love of his life, Ashley Davis, while she was attending Oklahoma State University. Kolby and Ashley wed in a beautiful ceremony in Oklahoma City on Oct. 22, 2005. Kolby and Ashley moved to Ashley's hometown of Vacaville, Calif., in the summer of 2005. At the time of his passing, Kolby was employed by CHW in Sacramento as a sleep lab technician. Kolby and Ashley made their home in Vacaville and were anxiously awaiting the birth of their first child. Kolby was an athletic individual whose passion for baseball began in childhood and continued his whole life. Kolby especially loved snowboarding and spent a lot of his time in Lake Tahoe enjoying the ambiance of the mountains, the lake and the snow. Although born and raised in Oklahoma, Kolby often said that he had found his true home on the West Coast. Kolby lived life to the fullest. Kolby was a quiet, deep thinking man, who though somewhat of a perfectionist, was loving and so very accepting of all others. Kolby valued health and fitness and lived his life accordingly. His posthumous donation of his young and healthy organs/tissues is estimated to save or otherwise benefit sixty individuals.

Kolby is survived by: his loving wife, Ashley, and unborn daughter, Claire of Vacaville, Calif.; his parents Arnold and Donna Lankford of Elk City, Okla.; grandmother Elwanda McComas of Elk City, Okla.; grandmother Wanda Lankford of Altus, Okla.; sister Crystal Bailey (Chuck) of Edmond, Okla.; brother Kris Lankford (Megan) of Yorkville, Ill.; nephew Burke Bailey; niece Brylee Bailey, unborn nephew Kayden Kolby Lankford; father and mother-in-law Greg and Kelly Alexander of Vacaville Calif.; father and mother-in-law Allen and Susan Davis of Kettering, Ohio; brothers-in-law, Jack and August Alexander; grand parents-in-law Joseph and Shirley Foti; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, many friends and his beloved cat, Annie. Grandfathers Bill McComas and L.S. Lankford predeceased Kolby.

A memorial service to celebrate Kolby's life will be held today, Friday, March 13, at 4 p.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church located at 1791 Marshall Road, Vacaville. A reception at the church hall will immediately follow the service. In lieu of flowers the family requests donation to The Claire Lankford Fund, C/O Ashley Lankford, Bank of the West, 330 Davis St., Vacaville, Calif., 95688.

The family wishes to acknowledge the staff of physicians and nurses at Tahoe Forest Hospital in Truckee, Calif., for their very compassionate care and kindness. The family also wishes to express their profound gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love and support received from extended family, friends, and students, parents, staff and volunteers at Notre Dame Parochial School in Vacaville.