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Obituary - Robert "Robbie" Colby '56
Robert (Robbie) Colby '56
We are saddened to inform you of the passing of Robert Lovat Colby, Class of '56, on May 23, 2026, in Montreal. He was the brother of Edward Colby '58 and Charles Colby '54.
We are saddened to inform you of the passing of Robert Lovat Colby, Class of '56, on May 23, 2026, in Montreal. He was the brother of Edward Colby '58 and Charles Colby '54.
Colby attended Selwyn House School from 1949 to 1956. During his years at Selwyn, he served as a Full Prefect and Macauley House Vice-Captain. An accomplished athlete, he was a member of the First Swimming Team and First Welterweight Boxing Team, while also participating in under-15 hockey, junior cricket, under-12 soccer, and the Gym Squad.
Beyond athletics, Colby was actively involved in school life as Art Editor of the School Magazine. He also participated in the Choir, Cubs, Scouts, Dramatics, Lambda Debating, and the House Debating Team, reflecting his wide-ranging interests and commitment to the Selwyn community.
Please see his obituary below.
Our sincere sympathies to Robert's family, friends, classmates, and all who knew him.
Robert Lovat Colby '56
June 3, 1941 - May 23, 2026
June 3, 1941 - May 23, 2026
Robert Lovat Colby of Georgeville, Québec, passed away on May 23, 2026. He was 84.
Born in Montreal on June 3, 1941, to Charles Carroll Colby II and Helen Lovat Colby, he attended Selwyn House School and Trinity College School, where he was an accomplished gymnast, mastering "giants" on the high bar. At McGill University (Class of '63) he was a member of Zeta Psi Fraternity. In Montreal, Robbie was a member of the Wranglers' and The Hillside Tennis Club.
Moving to Boston, Massachusetts in 1977, Robbie founded Colby Equity Valuations which provided a unique equity valuation service to institutional investors in Canada and the U.S. He served on the boards of The Park School and Goddard House retirement community. He was a member of The Country Club and the Sons of the American Revolution.
In the Eastern Townships of Québec, Robbie was a trustee of Stanstead College, a founding member of Heritage Georgeville, and, for over thirty years, a member of the board of the Colby-Curtis Museum.
With his trusted red International tractor, he enjoyed working on the gravel roads and woodlands at "Trout Rock," his home along the eastern shore of Lake Memphremagog. He had a lifelong love of tennis and skiing, nature photography, and local history, and followed politics and global affairs with great interest. Always a generous host, he had a gift for friendship and a talent for bringing old and new friends together.
He is survived by his wife, Gretchen Rogers Colby; his daughter, Jessie Colby Harris, and son-in-law John Mosby Harris, Jr.; his sons, Robert Gould Colby and Anthony Lovat Colby; his grandchildren, Charlotte Colby Harris and John Mosby Harris III; his older brother Charles William Colby II and wife Gael Eakin; younger brother Edward Wilder Colby and wife Sara Peck Colby, cousins Jocelyn Colby St. Pierre, Jeniffer Colby Holzgang, as well as his sister-in-law Harriet Rogers Linskey and husband Thomas "T.L." Linskey, and nieces and nephews, Emma Colby O'Riley, Lindsay Colby Wright, Charles Carroll Colby III, and Graham Wilder Colby.
In recognition of Robbie's commitment to local heritage, please consider a donation to the Colby-Curtis Museum in his memory. All funds will support historic preservation of the Colby home, Carrollcroft. Donations may be made by cheque payable to the Colby-Curtis Museum and mailed to 535 Dufferin Street, Stanstead, QC, J0B 3E0, Canada, or given online at https://colbycurtis.ca/products/donation
Born in Montreal on June 3, 1941, to Charles Carroll Colby II and Helen Lovat Colby, he attended Selwyn House School and Trinity College School, where he was an accomplished gymnast, mastering "giants" on the high bar. At McGill University (Class of '63) he was a member of Zeta Psi Fraternity. In Montreal, Robbie was a member of the Wranglers' and The Hillside Tennis Club.
Moving to Boston, Massachusetts in 1977, Robbie founded Colby Equity Valuations which provided a unique equity valuation service to institutional investors in Canada and the U.S. He served on the boards of The Park School and Goddard House retirement community. He was a member of The Country Club and the Sons of the American Revolution.
In the Eastern Townships of Québec, Robbie was a trustee of Stanstead College, a founding member of Heritage Georgeville, and, for over thirty years, a member of the board of the Colby-Curtis Museum.
With his trusted red International tractor, he enjoyed working on the gravel roads and woodlands at "Trout Rock," his home along the eastern shore of Lake Memphremagog. He had a lifelong love of tennis and skiing, nature photography, and local history, and followed politics and global affairs with great interest. Always a generous host, he had a gift for friendship and a talent for bringing old and new friends together.
He is survived by his wife, Gretchen Rogers Colby; his daughter, Jessie Colby Harris, and son-in-law John Mosby Harris, Jr.; his sons, Robert Gould Colby and Anthony Lovat Colby; his grandchildren, Charlotte Colby Harris and John Mosby Harris III; his older brother Charles William Colby II and wife Gael Eakin; younger brother Edward Wilder Colby and wife Sara Peck Colby, cousins Jocelyn Colby St. Pierre, Jeniffer Colby Holzgang, as well as his sister-in-law Harriet Rogers Linskey and husband Thomas "T.L." Linskey, and nieces and nephews, Emma Colby O'Riley, Lindsay Colby Wright, Charles Carroll Colby III, and Graham Wilder Colby.
In recognition of Robbie's commitment to local heritage, please consider a donation to the Colby-Curtis Museum in his memory. All funds will support historic preservation of the Colby home, Carrollcroft. Donations may be made by cheque payable to the Colby-Curtis Museum and mailed to 535 Dufferin Street, Stanstead, QC, J0B 3E0, Canada, or given online at https://colbycurtis.ca/
