Irwin John Volkman, 89, Albert Lea

Published 12:00 am Thursday, May 20, 2004

Irwin J. Volkman passed away on Saturday, May 8, 2004, at St. John’s Lutheran Home where he made his home for the past year. He entered the Lutheran Retirement Home In Northwood, Iowa, in March of 1999 where he lived until May of 2003.

A celebration of his life will be held at Ascension Lutheran Church at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 22. Rev. Richard Spande will officiate. Friends and family may visit an hour before the service. Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home is assisting with the arrangements.

Irwin John Volkman was born at Brainerd on April 7, 1915, to Albert and Helena Sophia (Leitzow) Volkmann. At the age of two, his family moved to a farm near Sauk Centre, Minn. “Irv” graduated from school there and was confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Zion Lutheran Church. He earned a degree in science and math from St. Cloud Teacher’s College and a Master’s Degree from Mankato University. Irv taught in high schools in Grand Rapids, Minn., and Glenwood, Minn. In 1943, he taught physics to the Air Cadets from Wright-Patterson Air Field in Dayton, Ohio, for the U. S. Government at Wittenberg College in Springfield, Ohio. Irv met Doris Forrer in Dayton, and they were married on May 5, 1944. The couple moved to Albert Lea where he taught chemistry for 33 years and was the head of the Science Department. Irv retired in 1977, and they moved to an acreage in the Rochester area. There he enjoyed gardening, fishing, and chopping wood.

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Survivors include Doris, his wife of 60 years; son, Reid and his wife Susan of Stillwater and their sons, Kyle and Joshua; daughter, Gail of Duluth; son, Neil and his wife Mary Jo of Albert Lea and their daughter, Elizabeth (Betsy) and their son, Eric; and one brother, Albert of Red Wing.

Irv was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, and two sisters.