Virgil & Lavonne Volkert

VOLKERT HEFNER

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/15/2010 at 23:32:05

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Virgil and Lavonne (Hefner) Volkert
By Lavonne Volkert

Virgil Volker was born July 27, 1920, at the family farm east of Cushing. He was the sixth child born to George G and Luella Reyman Volkert. He graduated from Cushing Consolidated in 1938. He spent the first forty years of his life on the same farm.

Lavonne Doris Hefner was born November 11, 1921, at Nora Springs, Iowa. She was the oldest of three children born to ‘Oliver’ and Alvena (Zoch) Hefner. She attended a country school until she was in sixth grade, at which time she started to Cushing School. After graduation she worked one year and then obtained a $90.00 loan to attend summer school. (The ninety dollars was enough to pay tuition, books, and room.) That fall she began her teaching career in a rural school west of Kingsley, receiving the going wage of $65 a month.

Virgil and Lavonne were married at St John Lutheran Church in Cushing on June 5, 1945. They move to the family farm northeast of Cushing and farmed there until 1960. At that time they moved to a farm north of Cushing for another year. At that time Virgil went to work at State Hospital in Cherokee.

In 1961 the family moved to Cushing. Lavonne went back to teaching school and continued her education by attending night classes and summer school. She received her B A from Morningside College in 1968.

In 1967, Virgil began selling Lutheran Mutual Life Insurance and in 1971 Lavonne began doing his secretarial work.

Virgil and Lavonne have four children. Charlene was born May 25, 1946. She graduated from Cushing High School in 1964. After graduation she attended Commercial Extension School of Commerce in Omaha. At present, she is employed as a Medical Transcription Supervisor at Immanuel Medical Center. On November 20, 1970, she married James L Camenzind at St John Lutheran Church in Cushing. Jim is employed at the VA Hospital. Jim and Charlene have two daughters: Sandra, born September 30, 1975; and Christina Louise, born November 6, 1980.

Marlys was born September 28, 1948. She graduated from Cushing High School in 1966 with the last class that graduated from Cushing. She received her B S N from the University of Iowa in 1970 and her M S degree in Nursing Administration form the University of Colorado in 1975. She married Kenneth Peterson on September 3, 1971. Their marriage was dissolved in April 1981. Marlys is employed as Vice-President-Nursing at Methodist Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin.

Paula was born November 14, 1949. She graduated from Eastwood High School in 1967 with the first class after Cushing and Correctionville combined. She attended the University of Iowa from 1967 to 1970 and graduated from Briar Cliff College in May 1982. She married Douglas Haddy, September 14, 1970. Three children were born to Paula and Douglas: Erica born March 18, 1974; Trina born August 17, 1975; and Nicholas, born August 3, 1980. Paul and Doug’s married was dissolved in 1980. On September 18, 1982, Paula married Randall J Dreezen at St John Lutheran Church. The family lives at Southdown Farm north of Cushing, where Randy is presently farming in partnership with his brother, Roger. Paula is employed by Lutheran Mutual Life Insurance company.

James was born November 17, 1953. He graduated form Eastwood in 1972. Senator Harold E Hughes gave Jim an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He attended the academy until 1974 when he returned to civilian life. He married Carol Vickery on August 23, 1974. After their marriage, they moved to Ames where Jim became a student at Iowa State University. He received his B S in Agricultural Business in June 1976. He worked as a loan officer for Federal Land Bank until 1982. Jim and Carol have two children: Ryan, born November 25, 1976; and Saren, born October 11, 1979. Jim and Carol are both employed by the U S Post Office in Huron, South Dakota.

Virgil and Lavonne have also provided a home for several foster children. They and their family are all members of the Lutheran Church. They have both served as Sunday School teachers, members of the ALCW and ALCM. Virgil has served on the church council and is a member of Sioux City Life Underwriters Association.