Patricia "Pat" Volk

Patricia (Pat) Volk a former Great Falls, Montana resident passed away on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 at Avamere Crestview of Portland Care Facility in Portland, Oregon. Graveside services will be held 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 2, 2017 at Mount Olivet Cemetery. Burial plot location is in the SE corner along the back cemetery access road, paralleling 24th Ave. S. Immediately following burial, family and friends of Pat are asked to join her children for a luncheon at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 906 Central Ave. West, Great Falls, MT 59404. In the spirit of Pat’s memory, please bring your memories of her to share and, if you wish, a potluck dish to include with the luncheon would be greatly appreciated. Pat was born in Oak Park, Illinois on March 17, 1928 to William and Florence (Kenney) Schulze. She attended schools in the Oak Park area and graduated from Oak Park and River Forest High School in 1946. She worked as a line wrapper for The Mars Candy Company, an elevator operator for a department store and later became a switchboard operator for local telephone company. Pat began a written correspondence with an eligible Montana bachelor in the mid 50’s long before text messaging and the internet. Through the course of these hand written letters, she fell in love with Robert (Bob) Volk and became the only one of the 9 Schulze children to leave the Chicago area. Pat and Bob married on January 4th, 1958 on a cold Chicago January day at Ascension Church in Oak Park. The newlywed couple returned to Montana to begin their life on the Hensler place which was Bob’s uncle’s farm south of Great Falls in the Eden area. Being the outsider, Pat quickly made friends with neighbors and learned how fill the role of a farmer/ranchers wife. Pat and Bob had their first child, Laurie Elizabeth born on December 5, 1959 followed by Robert Christian (Chris) in June 19, 1963, then by Bernard William (Ben) in July 2, 1965 and finally by John Patrick on February 28, 1968. Pat was always quick to flash a big smile and make conversation with strangers.She was a member of the Altar Society at St. Francis Xavier in Eden, served as secretary-treasurer on the board for McCumber School and spent numerous volunteer hours at functions hosted at the St. Pius X Parish center in Centerville, MT. She loved to tell stories of her childhood in Chicago and life on the farm. As a suggestion from her mother-in-law, Elsie Volk, Pat kept a diary for over 35 years. The diary was mostly mundane entries, but once in a while no holds barred. She enjoyed sharing her diary memories with anyone who asked. Growing up a city girl, she learned to make bread, cure hams and bacon and cased sausage, ferment sauerkraut, milk a cow and make churned butter and cottage cheese. Mom never met a steak that didn’t need to be well done, but she made the tastiest roast beef, cinnamon rolls, potato doughnuts, rhubarb crunch and case kuchen. She was always quick to come up with a tasty pot luck item for the many area gatherings at the Eden Hall. After Bob and Pat moved to Great Falls in 1986, she worked in the cafeteria at West Elementary. In retirement she and Dad loved to have lunch out and about and walk at Westgate mall, where Dad walked to walk and Mom walked to talk the distance while visiting with her Mall friends. After Bob’s death, Pat went to live in Portland with John and Chris and would periodically travelled to Klamath Falls to visit with Chris and his family. Pat always enjoyed Volk family get togethers through the years and especially enjoyed visiting her family in the Chicago area. The last several years, Pat’s children took turns traveling with her back to Chicago to join in on the Schulze Family Christmas get together. Pat was proceeded in death by her parents, her husband Bob, her six brothers; Bill, Tom, Fran, Jim, Ed and Jack Schulze. She is survived by her two sisters Florence (Binnie) Barkowski of Burnham, IL and Loretta (Lori) Schulze of Oak Park, IL, her sisters-in-law Marjorie (Volk) Mathison, Dutton, MT and Marilyn (Volk) Brass, Helena, MT, her daughter Laurie (Guillermo) of Portland, OR, Chris (Robbin) of Klamath Falls, OR, Ben (Susan) of Pasco, WA and John (Chris) of Portland, OR. She is also survived by her grandchildren Kindra (Jurgen) DeGroot, Libby, Regan, Robby, Thomas and Kirsten Volk and numerous nieces and nephews in Montana and the Chicago area. A memorial service will be held in Portland on Sunday, April 2 at Journey Catholic Community. Cremation has taken place under the direction of Autumn Funerals, Cremations and Burial of Tigard, OR. The family would like to express their thanks and appreciation to the dedicated staff at Avamere Crestview of Portland and Signature Hospice for the loving care they provided for our Mom over the last year. She loved all of you!