Pius Volk

Pius Volk, 85, Bismarck, passed away at his home on February 26, 2017. Services will be held at 11:00 am Thursday, March 2, at Charity Lutheran Church, 120 Aspen Ave., Bismarck, with Rev. Scott Bauman officiating. Burial will be held at 2:00 pm Thursday at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Wednesday, March 1, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a prayer service will begin at 7:00 pm. Pius Volk was born July 20, 1931, on a farm north of Hague, ND, the son of Engelbert and Josephine Volk. He attended country school and farmed with his parents until entering the US Army in 1951 and being honorably discharged in 1953. While serving in Korea with the 101st Airborne, he was seriously injured in battle, earning him the high honor of a Purple Heart. He graduated from Wahpeton State School of Science in 1956 and married Aleta Kaye McGraw on June 16 of that same year. They lived in Casselton, ND where Pius worked as an auto parts man, moving to Valley City in 1957 where he owned and operated the Texaco Service Station. In August of 1958 they moved to Bismarck where Pius worked for Fairmont Foods driving the ice cream truck. While working part-time at Simonson’s he began his 35 year career at MDU, retiring as a shift foreman at the Heskett Power Plant. He married Connie Ann Johansen in October of 1992. He was a former member of the American Legion, the Elks, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans. He always enjoyed his job at MDU. He loved working at his farm north of Sterling and doing little hands-on projects with family and friends. Pius is survived by his wife, Connie; his daughter, Peggy (Jeff) Dietz; three grandsons, Cody Harter, Kendall and Jaden Dietz; two step-daughters, Jennifer Anderson and Stephanie (John) Kuhn; three great-grandchildren, KristaLynn, Keegan and Charli Rose Harter; two brothers, William (Theresa), and Roger (Mary) Volk, Bismarck; two sisters, Judy (Jim) Eberle, Ellendale, ND, and Jane (Bob) Hagel, Hopkins, MN; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Patty Volk; and one brother, Daniel.