William Arthur Vollmer (1920 - 1981)

Born 14 Aug 1920 in Highland Park, Wayne County, Michigan

Ancestors

Husband of Donna Lilyon (Duckworth) Dye — married 27 Nov 1953 (to 15 Jul 1957) in Highland Park, Wayne County, Michigan

Died 18 Jun 1981 at age 60 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Lynda McCann [send private message]

Biography

William A Vollmer joined the US Army in 1942 serving as a PFC Cryptologist in the 1096th Signal Company, from September 1942 through November 1945, when he was Honorably Discharged. He served in New Guinea, the Southern Philippines, and Luzon. PFC Vollmer was awarded the following: Victory Medal; American Theater Ribbon; Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon w/3 Bronze Battle Stars; Philippine Liberation Ribbon 4 overseas Service bars, 1 Service Stripe, and the Good Conduct Medal.

After his military service, he returned to the Detroit area working as clerk and driver for various package delivery companies. In 1953 he married Donna L. Bridges. They had a daughter, Lynda Colleen, in 1954. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1957.

The war greatly affected Mr. Vollmer, and he eventually sought assistance from the Veteran's Administration and Disabled American Veterans (DAV). He was very gifted intellectually and musically.

In 1980 Mr. Vollmer was diagnosed with Colon Cancer. He passed away at Southwest Detroit General Hospital on June 18, 1981 at the age of 60.

Mr. Vollmer is survived by his natural mother, Ruth Robinson of Highland Park, who he was raised to believe was his sister, and Mrs Lydia (William) Kaufmann of Huntington Woods, and his daughter, Lynda. His first marriage ended in divorce.

Mr. Vollmer's ashes will be interned in the Urn Garden of historic Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan.

Sources

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X79K-MFN : accessed 29 March 2018), William Vollmer in household of Anna Vollmer, Detroit (Districts 0251-0500), Wayne, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 382, sheet 5A, line 26, family 78, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1047; FHL microfilm 2,340,782.

• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KHM5-CNM : accessed 29 March 2018), William Vollmer in household of Eleanor Vollmer, Ward 4, Detroit, Detroit City, Wayne, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 84-183, sheet 2A, line 21, family 24, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1845.

• Elkin-Duckworth-McCann Private Archives. Privately held by Lynda McCann. William A. Vollmer, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, Honorable Discharge, 28 November 1945.

• Elkin-Duckworth-McCann Private Archives. Privately held by Lynda McCann. William Arthur Vollmer and Donna L. Bridges, Marriage License, State File No. 860425, State of Michigan, Wayne County, City of Highland Park, 21 November 1953.

• Elkin-Duckworth-McCann Private Archives. Privately held by Lynda McCann. William Arthur Vollmer and Donna L. Bridges, Certificate of Marriage, State File No. 860425, State of Michigan, Wayne County, City of Highland Park, 27 November 1953.

• Michigan Department of Vital and Health Records. Michigan Death Index. Lansing, MI, USA.

• Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

• "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V3WX-X2G : 19 May 2014), William Vollmer, Jun 1981; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).

• "Find A Grave," database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/156043232/william-a-vollmer : accessed 03 May 2018), memorial page for William A Vollmer (14 Aug 1920–18 Jun 1981), Find A Grave Memorial no. 156043232, citing Woodlawn Cemetery, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, USA ; Maintained by Lynda McCann (contributor 47159940) .

• "United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QKLR-K3PW : accessed 29 March 2018), William A Vollmer in entry for Donna Dye Or Nee Lilyon Duckworth Dye, Indiana, United States, 28 Mar 2010; from "Recent Newspaper Obituaries (1977 - Today)," database, GenealogyBank.com (http://www.genealogybank.com : 2014); citing Post-Tribune, born-digital text.