Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 271108
Title: Bernice C. Volk
Date: 5/23/1938-10/15/2023
Inscription/Marks: 5/23/1938
Summary: Bernice C. Volk, 85, Watford City, ND, passed away peacefully October 15, 2023, at her home with her son by her side. Mass of Christian burial was held October 21, 2023, at the Epiphany Catholic Church in Watford City. She was laid to rest in the Schafer Cemetery in Watford City. Bernice Catherine Miller was born to Frank and Philomena (Schmaltz) Miller on May 23, 1938, in Orrin, ND, where she was raised and educated. Bernice married Paul Volk on October 8, 1956, in Orrin at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. They traveled to many different states following the oilfield, until they finally settled in Watford City in 1963. They were married for 52 years. They enjoyed dancing in their younger years and gardening in the latter years. Bernice was a stay-at-home mom until all of her children graduated high school and then started her career at the Good Shepherd Home in the Laundry Department. She took tremendous pride in her work, folding things just so and enjoyed showing her grandchildren her place of work during the Easter Egg hunts they had there. Bernice was talented in many areas, but especially with vegetable and flower gardening, as her thumb was Emerald Green for sure (her favorite color). Her prize cabbages, corn, carrots, etc., were pictured in the McKenzie County Farmer many times. She won many ribbons in the McKenzie County Fair. Bernice made sure that her children knew the importance of education and religion. She continued her own education later in life, working toward receiving her GED. Bernice wrote a weekly newspaper column for the Drake, ND, paper called “Round Lake Ripples” for a time and had a lot of fun doing that. She was an active member of the Epiphany Catholic Church, where she participated in the Women of Epiphany and Altar Society. Her Catholic faith was very important to her. Bernice loved playing bingo and the slots at the casino, she was very lucky at both – but was just lucky at winning in general. Bernice shared a love of collecting cookbooks – always saying “I only have one cookbook” each time she received a new one and loved to cook, bake and can. She made the best jelly. Bernice loved to go hunting with her son and would clean and butcher deer on the dining room table. She volunteered for her sons’ Cub Scouts, daughters’ Campfire Girls, raised money for the March of Dimes for years, and was always helping older friends/neighbors in town when she was able. Bernice had a great smile, an awesome laugh and a fun sense of humor. She loved babies and was the best grandma when her grandchildren were young – always playing games, going for walks to the park, feeding them junk, and often watching them in the evenings or after school. She tried to attend as many activities of her grandchildren as she could and was very proud of them all. Bernice enjoyed Holiday gatherings and was famous for her Knox Blox. She enjoyed spending time with her family and visiting with friends on the phone in later years. Lucy and Lorna were very special friends to her. She was proud to be a great-grandmother as well. Bernice is survived by her loving family, son, Robert Volk and friend Diane, Watford City; daughters, Beverly Volk and friend Tom, West Palm Beach, FL, and Joanne (Brian) Allex, Watford City; three grandchildren, Brianna (Ryan) Chaffee, and Brandon Allex, both of Watford City, and Bridget Allex, Duluth, MN; great-granddaughter, Klara; and a great-grandson due next week; sisters, Mabel (Myron) Cunning, Gold Canyon, AZ, and Anna Volk, Rugby, ND; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. Bernice was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Philomena; stepfather, Friedrich W. Nissen; her husband of 52 years, Paul; brothers, Christian, Roy and Johnnie; and sisters, Margareta Miller and Irene Wolfe.
Red ID: FND_I_78597 Image ID: 575977 Image Notes: FND001 271108

Collection: FND001 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Date: -

Summary: The North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program is sponsored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The life stories of deceased North Dakotans are featured in an archvied collection. Current partners in the project are Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services, Bismarck Evans Funeral Homes, Carrington and New Rockford Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home, Williston Fulkerson Funeral Home, Tioga Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck Springan Stevenson Funeral Home, Stanley Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson These funeral homes provide recent obituaries to the Foundation, where staff and volunteers format, edit and archive each memorial. The memorials are posted, and copies are sent to the family for their input and approval. The listing currently features more than 13,000 memorials, and is constantly updated as new memorials and histories are received.

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