Kenneth G. Volk

BOW - Kenneth Gerard Volk, aged 90, died peacefully on May 19, 2017. He was a resident of Bow, NH and a long time summer resident of Bear Island in Meredith, NH. Ken was born on May 14, 1927 in Dedham, MA, son of Warren Volk and Mary Lang. He attended Dedham Public Schools and Northeastern University.

During his formative years, Ken learned the practical skills and values afforded by hard work on the family dairy farm in Dedham. He also experienced brief summer vacations at the family's bungalow retreat in Falmouth, MA, where he came by his love of the sea. As a young adult anxious to serve the WWII war effort, Ken chose the Navy, where he served from 1945-1946 as a Third Class Intelligence Specialist, receiving the WWII Victory Medal and a Secretary of the Navy Commendation. Shortly after discharge, Ken became a telephone engineer with the New England Telephone/Telegraph Company for which he worked for more than 30 years. He so enjoyed the friends he made throughout his work years that, post retirement, Ken seldom missed the monthly Telephone Pioneers luncheons.

Ken met his wife Helen at Canobie Lake Ballroom in Salem, NH. After a short courtship, they married and honeymooned on Bear Island in Meredith, NH. The allure of the area was great such that they soon mortgaged their car to acquire land on Bear Island. Ken painstakingly selected their lot by donning scuba gear and scouring the shoreline for just the right location. Ken and Helen were committed to summer life on Bear Island, with Ken gladly traveling 4 hours every day to work so that Helen and his growing family could enjoy the island life experience.

Several of Ken's hobbies developed as a result of island life. There were many kinds of boats (MOST of which floated), motors, sailboats, canoes, water skis and ski saucers (Ken could twirl ENDLESSLY while ski-saucering) that his family and friends enjoyed at ""camp."" Ken also took his family ""on the road"" in a variety of tiny travel trailers which provided for great adventures, particularly since Ken could not pass a single lane dead-end dirt road in the middle of nowhere without exploring it. As a result, he became quite an expert in backing up with a trailer in tight quarters!

Ken's engineering talents were showcased in many of his other interests. He was an avid collector and expert restorer of antique mechanical musical instruments such as player pianos, organs, organettes, music boxes, street organs, theater organs and bird boxes. His personal collection numbered in the hundreds, supplemented by the accumulation of an extensive reference library of books, schematics and painstakingly created hand drawn diagrams and notes for all the projects he undertook. Ken was a long term member of AMICA (Automated Musical Instrument Collectors Association), MBSI (Music Box International Society) and ATOS (American Theatre Organ Society). He traveled extensively both nationally and internationally in pursuit of this avocation and was often sought out for advice, particularly related to his cherished organettes.

A related musical hobby for Ken was his lifelong participation in Barbershopping, singing tenor with the Concord Coachmen Chorus for more than 50 years. He collected a significant barbershop library of sheet music, tapes, and books. Ken was the key person in putting together the annual fundraising Barbershop show for most of his tenure with the Coachmen. The post-show ""Afterglows"" that he organized were always great, but the ""AFTER Afterglows"" that he hosted at his home were legendary!

Over the years, Ken owned a very interesting variety of cars, many of which had a ""cool"" factor, but often proved impractical to maintain. As a result, Ken became an excellent ""repairer"" of his every rotating car fleet. Trains also captured his attention, particularly those which were steam powered. Ken would never miss an opportunity to ride a train or trolley, and if there happened to be a transportation museum anywhere near where he was traveling, he was sure to visit it.

Ken had a keen interest in flower and vegetable gardening, likely attributed to his early life on the farm. He would pore over his seed catalogs with great care, selecting just the right ones to create his ""English"" flower garden - in which he took great pride - and picking out the tough vegetable varieties that could withstand the onslaught of the woodchucks - which Ken never chased away.

Ken's other interests included coin and stamp collecting, chair caning, clock collecting, radios, cooking (he was a very good at it) and avid reading. His extensive library included books and periodicals representing all of his collecting interests as well as history, politics, travel and electronics. Ken also collected original paintings and drawings of trains, seascapes and ships, always preferring to support the local artists he discovered through his extensive travels.

An animal lover, Ken supported many charities dedicated to their interests. He was also a routine donor to veterans groups, the environment, Parkinson's and Diabetes research.

One of Ken's most distinctive characteristics was his unforgettable laugh. Those who received the gift of having heard it will never forget him.

Ken was predeceased by his wife of 65 years Helen, his beloved sister Lillian Yeaker and brother Warren Volk.

Ken is survived by his three children: Alan (Robin) Volk, Karen (Ray) McCarty and Gregory (Denise) Volk; grandchildren Shannon (Adam) Drapcho, Kerry McCarty and Torin Volk; great-grandson, Otis Drapcho; brother, Paul Volk, many nieces and nephews, and devoted friends Joe & Pat Lavacchia, Jim Blanco and Chris & Ginger Christensen. The family wishes to thank all of those who cared for Ken during his brief stay at Merrimack County Nursing Home. Donations in Ken's honor may be made to them as follows: Merrimack County Nursing Home, 325 Daniel Webster Highway, Boscawen, NH 03303.

SERVICES: Calling Hours will be from 5 PM – 7PM on Thursday, May 25th followed by a 7 PM funeral service officiated by Deacon Winton DeRosia at the Bennett Funeral Home, 209 N. Main St. Concord. A joint burial for Ken and his wife Helen will be held on Wednesday, June 7th, 3 PM at Evans Cemetery in Bow, NH.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Bennett Funeral Home of Concord.

Messages of condolence may be offered at www.bennettfuneral.com.