Funeral services for Marvin Volzke, 83, of Aberdeen will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 11, 2013, at St. John Lutheran Church in Selby. Burial will be at Selby Memorial Gardens under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will start at 5 p.m., with a prayer service at 7 p.m., Friday at the church.
Marvin passed away Monday, May 6, 2013, at Good Samaritan Center in Selby.
Marvin Volzke was born Dec. 27, 1929, on the family farm near Pollock to Richard and Carrie (Maier) Volzke. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Mound City. He attended country school and some high school before having to quit and help on the family farm. In 1949, he met Phyllis Brockel at the café in Herreid.
On May 23, 1951, Marvin and Phyllis were united in marriage in Eureka. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in November 1951. He was discharged in November 1953 and returned to the area. He farmed at various places until 1958, when they moved onto Phyllis's parents' homestead. They remained on their place until 2001, when they moved to Aberdeen. Besides doing his own farming, he also did various custom jobs for farmers in Walworth and Campbell counties. He retired from farming in 1986, and began working at the Campbell County Soil Conservation Office as a service tec,h which he did until 1996.
Marvin was known for his welding and being able to fix anything on the farm. He was proud of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and taught his family how to farm at a young age. He was a member of the Frederick-Schauer American Legion No. 100 in Selby for over 30 years, and was commander for six of those years. He was a school board member at Bertesch Country School, a board member at the Java Co-op, a member of the Mound City Lions Club and St. John's Lutheran Church in Selby. Despite fighting macular degeneration for a number of years, he still enjoyed coffee with friends in Selby, playing cards and a game of pool, riding his scooter to see the trains in Aberdeen and attending dinners with his family.
Marvin is survived by his wife of 61 years, Phyllis, of Aberdeen; sons: Ronald of Aberdeen, Dennis (Marlys) of Aberdeen, Roger of Java and friend, Cheryl Miiller; daughters: Peggy (Jeff) Schick of Mina, Nina (Dale) Schick of Herreid; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren; brother, Richard (Judy) Volzke of Herreid; and brother-in-law, Donald Brenner of California.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers: Herbert and Ervin; sisters: Irene Volzke and Adeline Brenner.