Orville Volz

Watertown - Born Orville Francis Volz (7/17/1925-10/24/2016), the 8th of approximately 16 kids, he considered himself the luckiest man alive, having married Irene Blanche Piche, his dear wife and best friend for 70 years, with whom he is now eternally joined.

With an acquiescent Protestant father, James Henry Volz, one generation removed from Germany, yielding on religious issues to his adamantly Irish Catholic wife, Anna Rose Killion, one generation removed from Ireland, Orville was raised an extremely reluctant Catholic (and eventual agnostic/atheist, softened in his last year by hopes of joining his sweet wife, Irene). His marriage to the daughter of an equally adamantly English woman, Elsie May Brenie Munro, who came across the Atlantic on a steamer by herself when she was but 10 years old, caused quite a stir, eventually overcome, in family relations, to state it mildly.

Orville loved his large, close family of sisters and brothers consisting of Anna, James, Helen, John, William, Robert, Alfred, Joseph, Marion, Laura, George, Mildred, and Ann, all of whom he now joins in the hereafter except Mildred, of whom he was extremely fond.

He met Irene around 1944 and fell in love at first sight. Irene on the other hand had to overcome the initial impression he left with a large piece of spinach covering one of his front teeth upon their first introduction. But she warmed to this effervescent, ever-smiling man pretty quickly thereafter. They grew close and were eager to marry but the war raged and he did his duty and applied to every branch of the service before proposing, only to be rejected because he was at 5'6", and literally 99 pounds.

As fate would have it however, they were no sooner married than he was inducted into the Army! Off to Japan for a year was his fate, occupying the recently bombed islands of Okinawa and Nagasaki. There are pictures of him kneeling with his rifle in front of a completely blackened landscape from the atomic bomb that had visited the place only months previously.

Upon his arrival back in the States they set up their life together and soon Eric David Volz (1949-1994 RIP) was born. Eventually moving from Roxbury to Charlestown Carl Francis and Kevin Mark Volz followed sometime after (1954 and 1958 respectively).

They all moved on up to Brighton where they lived for the next 25 years. The family eventually included Eric's first wife Barbara Davey (Kemnitz) and then some years later Barbara Pittman. Eric loved as his own Barbara Pittman's children Brad, Kirsten, and Kerry Volz. Barbara Davey remained as a daughter to Irene and Orville all the days of their lives. It was also the family's distinct honor and privilege to have Ricky Jefferson join the clan as a foster brother when his mother was in dire need of care. After 3 ½ years Ricky was reunited with his mom but to this day and for always he will remain part of the Volz family.

Orville and Irene had seven wonderful grandchildren altogether. Sandra and Niki through Carl and his wonderful wife of 39 years, Jan Marie (Churchill) Volz; David and Anya through Kevin and Marieken Volz, in addition to Kirsten, Brad, and Kerry. The family eventually welcomed another daughter-in-law, Melissa Ruth Pierce, from Kevin's second marriage.

During their lives together, Orville and Irene had occasion to travel extensively throughout the United States in their Volkswagen camping bus, as well as throughout Europe as the occasion presented itself. They loved dancing and kept it up until just a year or two ago.

Orv was always a history buff and avidly consumed National Geographic and historical biographies and accounts and was a staunch Red Sox fan. He was happy to have lived long enough to see the Red Sox thoroughly shed their curse with three World Series wins in the last decade or so. It's safe to say that he considered David Ortiz to be the Red Sox patron saint. He also enjoyed recounting how he was the guy to nearly run over Ted Williams. He was driving by Fenway Park on his way to work one day in the late '40s when after a ball game a man ran out in front of him in the rain with a newspaper over his head. He stepped directly into the path of Orville's car. Orvie slammed on the brakes and stared with amazement out the window as Ted Williams, both hands on the hood of the car, looked directly at him and mouthed, "Thank you!" therewith entering forever the annals of Volz pride and lore.

He was able to get away to Vermont a couple of times these last months, connecting one last time with Kevin, Melissa, Marieken, Anya and David. He enjoyed going to the top of Killington Mountain in a gondola and, to his awe, overlooked a bewildering amount of countryside. He was deeply moved by that experience.

Orville was lovingly sought after for these last two years by Carl, Jan, Sandra, and Niki, as they cared for his every need, after similarly doing so for Irene, allowing them both the independence and freedom they so treasured right up to the end. Without Carl and his family there they would have long since had to be placed somewhere. For their dedication and love we are ever grateful.

The night before he passed one of the staff pulled Carl aside and said dear Orville was dying. Orv mustered what he had left and made it clear to them he would brook no whispering in the hall and wanted to be apprised of what the outlook was. Carl bravely and wisely shared with him: It looks like you might be joining mom in the not-too-distant future. Orville nodded and said, I have a feeling it might be tonight. He was right. Early the next morning he passed away in his sleep.

All our love, Dad. You are both forever in our hearts and thoughts.