Stephen Wayne Vollmer

On December 23, 2022, Stephen "Steve" Wayne Vollmer, 69, of Atwood, Illinois, peacefully passed away at his residence after a two-year battle with cancer. By his side was his beloved wife, Marsha Vollmer (Hays), whom he married on June 20, 1992. <br /> <br /> Steve was born December 1, 1953, in Champaign, Illinois. He is preceded in death by his father, Ralph E. Vollmer; mother, Joan Vollmer Lucas; foster parents, Wayne and Wanda Hill; and brother, Darrell E. Vollmer. <br /> <br /> As a youth, Steve loved the outdoors, and even got caught skipping school at seven years old to go fishing at a local park. He enjoyed attending Decatur Commodores games, a feeder team to his favorite baseball team, the San Francisco Giants. He rooted for the Dallas Cowboys and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini. He was not just an armchair sports fan; he challenged himself to work out regularly and won several weight-lifting awards. <br /> <br /> Steve graduated from Bethany High School and studied Industrial Maintenance at Richland Community College. He proudly served as a Submarine Missile Technician in the U.S. Navy from 1980 to 1986 and cherished his U.S. Navy Submarine brothers, fellow veterans, and his time with the American Legion, James Reeder Post 770, in Atwood, Illinois. Steve considered it his duty, honor, and privilege to participate in military funeral honor ceremonies for fellow veterans. He worked as a Maintenance Mechanic from 1988 to 2016 at PPG Industries and Rockwell Automation. He enjoyed his retirement years spending time with his wife and family, going on motorcycle rides, and attending camping, fishing, and hiking meetups with friends. Steve described Michigan as one of his favorite destinations for outdoor activities, especially the Upper Peninsula. Steve also loved being an active member of Victory Church where he and his family worshipped and praised God. <br /> <br /> In addition to his wife, Steve is survived by their daughter, Kianne Vollmer; grandson, Devon "Buddy" Raymer; stepchildren, Angela Reinhold, Roy Mowell, and Julie Goff; and his dear four-legged companion, Piney, who doggedly stayed at his side. <br /> <br /> Other survivors include seven siblings, Gayle Williamson (Vollmer), Lisa Vollmer, Randy Vollmer, Trisha Vollmer, Dale Vollmer, Ryan Vollmer, and Nick Vollmer; seven foster siblings, Bud Hill, Dave Hill, John Hill, Donnie Hill, Bonnie Copeland, Mary Martin, and Cheryl Hunt; and numerous nieces, nephews, in-laws, step-grandchildren, cousins, friends, and others. <br /> <br /> A memorial service honoring Steve's life is scheduled for 10:00 am, January 21, 2023, at Victory Church, 100 E S 2nd St., Camargo, Illinois. Graveside burial services will immediately follow at Murdock Cemetery, Villa Grove, Illinois, where he will be laid to rest with Military Honors. Victory Church will host a luncheon following the graveside burial.