H. W. ('Bill') Volk, Jr., age 91, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 17, 2011. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 10, 1919 to Henry William and Hazel Volk.
Bill grew up in Minneapolis with his brother Charles ('T') and sisters Ann and Mary Alice. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Geology in 1943. Immediately following graduation he enlisted in the US Navy and completed officer training at Columbia University in New York City.
He served as First Lieutenant on the USS LST 655 in the Mediterranean, and participated in the invasion of Southern France in August 1944. Following the war, Bill moved to Corpus Christi where he began a long and distinguished career as a petroleum geologist. Soon after he arrived, he met the love of his life, LaVerne Ann Ryan. They were married on March 19, 1949, and would have celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary on Saturday. Bill was passionate about geology and truly loved oil and gas exploration and development in the Gulf Coast region. For 13 years he managed oil and gas activities for Northern Pump Company. In 1968 he joined Corpus Christi Oil and Gas Company as Vice President of Exploration and Development. For almost 20 years he organized and led the company's geological, geophysical, and land activities. During his tenure, the company discovered the El Gordo gas field in offshore Texas waters, as well as a number of other producing properties. In 1987 he formed Oil and Gas Company and continued an active and productive career until his death. Retirement was never part of his plan. Bill was a member of the American Institute of Professional Geologists, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Corpus Christi Geophysical Society, and the Corpus Christi Geological Society, which, in 1994 presented him with its Distinguished Geologist Award.
Bill had many other interests. He and LaVerne enjoyed spending weekends with family and friends at their ranch in Goliad County. He was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, where he served in a variety of lay leadership positions. He was Chairman, Laguna Madre District, of the Boy Scouts of America from 1960 to 1964. He was a director of Guaranty National Bank and Texas Commerce Bank for many years. He was a Trustee of the Del Mar College Foundation, and served as Vice President and President. In 1993 he was selected as King Alonso XL for the Buccaneer Days Coronation. He was a member of the Rotary Club, and a past member of Beachcombers and Centuria.
Bill is survived by his wife LaVerne, his sons Bill (Danna), and Chuck (Lorraine), grandchildren Mark, Will, Elizabeth, David (Katie), and Carolyn, sister Mary Alice Hullsiek (Bob) and several nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother and his sister Ann.
Bill will be remembered as a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to his longtime assistant Lois Green, his and LaVerne's caregivers Angie Rosales, Frances Oropeza, Lupita Alaniz, Linda Oropeza, Paula Scott, and Helen Flores, and ranch staff, Kenneth Orsak and Lupe Sanchez. They also thank his physicians Drs. Glen Bugay, Mark Geneser, Robert Ball, and Rafael Coutin.
There will be a private family service at Seaside Memorial Park on Monday, March 21, 2011 followed by a Memorial Service at the First United Methodist Church at 2:00 p.m.
Bill grew up in Minneapolis with his brother Charles ('T') and sisters Ann and Mary Alice. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Geology in 1943. Immediately following graduation he enlisted in the US Navy and completed officer training at Columbia University in New York City.
He served as First Lieutenant on the USS LST 655 in the Mediterranean, and participated in the invasion of Southern France in August 1944. Following the war, Bill moved to Corpus Christi where he began a long and distinguished career as a petroleum geologist. Soon after he arrived, he met the love of his life, LaVerne Ann Ryan. They were married on March 19, 1949, and would have celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary on Saturday. Bill was passionate about geology and truly loved oil and gas exploration and development in the Gulf Coast region. For 13 years he managed oil and gas activities for Northern Pump Company. In 1968 he joined Corpus Christi Oil and Gas Company as Vice President of Exploration and Development. For almost 20 years he organized and led the company's geological, geophysical, and land activities. During his tenure, the company discovered the El Gordo gas field in offshore Texas waters, as well as a number of other producing properties. In 1987 he formed Oil and Gas Company and continued an active and productive career until his death. Retirement was never part of his plan. Bill was a member of the American Institute of Professional Geologists, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Corpus Christi Geophysical Society, and the Corpus Christi Geological Society, which, in 1994 presented him with its Distinguished Geologist Award.
Bill had many other interests. He and LaVerne enjoyed spending weekends with family and friends at their ranch in Goliad County. He was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, where he served in a variety of lay leadership positions. He was Chairman, Laguna Madre District, of the Boy Scouts of America from 1960 to 1964. He was a director of Guaranty National Bank and Texas Commerce Bank for many years. He was a Trustee of the Del Mar College Foundation, and served as Vice President and President. In 1993 he was selected as King Alonso XL for the Buccaneer Days Coronation. He was a member of the Rotary Club, and a past member of Beachcombers and Centuria.
Bill is survived by his wife LaVerne, his sons Bill (Danna), and Chuck (Lorraine), grandchildren Mark, Will, Elizabeth, David (Katie), and Carolyn, sister Mary Alice Hullsiek (Bob) and several nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother and his sister Ann.
Bill will be remembered as a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to his longtime assistant Lois Green, his and LaVerne's caregivers Angie Rosales, Frances Oropeza, Lupita Alaniz, Linda Oropeza, Paula Scott, and Helen Flores, and ranch staff, Kenneth Orsak and Lupe Sanchez. They also thank his physicians Drs. Glen Bugay, Mark Geneser, Robert Ball, and Rafael Coutin.
There will be a private family service at Seaside Memorial Park on Monday, March 21, 2011 followed by a Memorial Service at the First United Methodist Church at 2:00 p.m.
H. W. ('Bill') Volk, Jr., age 91, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 17, 2011. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 10, 1919 to Henry William and Hazel Volk.
Bill grew up in Minneapolis with his brother Charles ('T') and sisters Ann and Mary Alice. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Geology in 1943. Immediately following graduation he enlisted in the US Navy and completed officer training at Columbia University in New York City.
He served as First Lieutenant on the USS LST 655 in the Mediterranean, and participated in the invasion of Southern France in August 1944. Following the war, Bill moved to Corpus Christi where he began a long and distinguished career as a petroleum geologist. Soon after he arrived, he met the love of his life, LaVerne Ann Ryan. They were married on March 19, 1949, and would have celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary on Saturday. Bill was passionate about geology and truly loved oil and gas exploration and development in the Gulf Coast region. For 13 years he managed oil and gas activities for Northern Pump Company. In 1968 he joined Corpus Christi Oil and Gas Company as Vice President of Exploration and Development. For almost 20 years he organized and led the company's geological, geophysical, and land activities. During his tenure, the company discovered the El Gordo gas field in offshore Texas waters, as well as a number of other producing properties. In 1987 he formed Oil and Gas Company and continued an active and productive career until his death. Retirement was never part of his plan. Bill was a member of the American Institute of Professional Geologists, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Corpus Christi Geophysical Society, and the Corpus Christi Geological Society, which, in 1994 presented him with its Distinguished Geologist Award.
Bill had many other interests. He and LaVerne enjoyed spending weekends with family and friends at their ranch in Goliad County. He was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, where he served in a variety of lay leadership positions. He was Chairman, Laguna Madre District, of the Boy Scouts of America from 1960 to 1964. He was a director of Guaranty National Bank and Texas Commerce Bank for many years. He was a Trustee of the Del Mar College Foundation, and served as Vice President and President. In 1993 he was selected as King Alonso XL for the Buccaneer Days Coronation. He was a member of the Rotary Club, and a past member of Beachcombers and Centuria.
Bill is survived by his wife LaVerne, his sons Bill (Danna), and Chuck (Lorraine), grandchildren Mark, Will, Elizabeth, David (Katie), and Carolyn, sister Mary Alice Hullsiek (Bob) and several nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother and his sister Ann.
Bill will be remembered as a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to his longtime assistant Lois Green, his and LaVerne's caregivers Angie Rosales, Frances Oropeza, Lupita Alaniz, Linda Oropeza, Paula Scott, and Helen Flores, and ranch staff, Kenneth Orsak and Lupe Sanchez. They also thank his physicians Drs. Glen Bugay, Mark Geneser, Robert Ball, and Rafael Coutin.
There will be a private family service at Seaside Memorial Park on Monday, March 21, 2011 followed by a Memorial Service at the First United Methodist Church at 2:00 p.m.
Bill grew up in Minneapolis with his brother Charles ('T') and sisters Ann and Mary Alice. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Geology in 1943. Immediately following graduation he enlisted in the US Navy and completed officer training at Columbia University in New York City.
He served as First Lieutenant on the USS LST 655 in the Mediterranean, and participated in the invasion of Southern France in August 1944. Following the war, Bill moved to Corpus Christi where he began a long and distinguished career as a petroleum geologist. Soon after he arrived, he met the love of his life, LaVerne Ann Ryan. They were married on March 19, 1949, and would have celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary on Saturday. Bill was passionate about geology and truly loved oil and gas exploration and development in the Gulf Coast region. For 13 years he managed oil and gas activities for Northern Pump Company. In 1968 he joined Corpus Christi Oil and Gas Company as Vice President of Exploration and Development. For almost 20 years he organized and led the company's geological, geophysical, and land activities. During his tenure, the company discovered the El Gordo gas field in offshore Texas waters, as well as a number of other producing properties. In 1987 he formed Oil and Gas Company and continued an active and productive career until his death. Retirement was never part of his plan. Bill was a member of the American Institute of Professional Geologists, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Corpus Christi Geophysical Society, and the Corpus Christi Geological Society, which, in 1994 presented him with its Distinguished Geologist Award.
Bill had many other interests. He and LaVerne enjoyed spending weekends with family and friends at their ranch in Goliad County. He was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, where he served in a variety of lay leadership positions. He was Chairman, Laguna Madre District, of the Boy Scouts of America from 1960 to 1964. He was a director of Guaranty National Bank and Texas Commerce Bank for many years. He was a Trustee of the Del Mar College Foundation, and served as Vice President and President. In 1993 he was selected as King Alonso XL for the Buccaneer Days Coronation. He was a member of the Rotary Club, and a past member of Beachcombers and Centuria.
Bill is survived by his wife LaVerne, his sons Bill (Danna), and Chuck (Lorraine), grandchildren Mark, Will, Elizabeth, David (Katie), and Carolyn, sister Mary Alice Hullsiek (Bob) and several nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother and his sister Ann.
Bill will be remembered as a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to his longtime assistant Lois Green, his and LaVerne's caregivers Angie Rosales, Frances Oropeza, Lupita Alaniz, Linda Oropeza, Paula Scott, and Helen Flores, and ranch staff, Kenneth Orsak and Lupe Sanchez. They also thank his physicians Drs. Glen Bugay, Mark Geneser, Robert Ball, and Rafael Coutin.
There will be a private family service at Seaside Memorial Park on Monday, March 21, 2011 followed by a Memorial Service at the First United Methodist Church at 2:00 p.m.
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