Paul William Voelker

Paul William Voelker, 65, passed away on Saturday, September 11, 2021.

A celebration of life service will be held 11:00am Tuesday, September 21, 2021 at Central Church with family present to greet friends one hour prior to the service.

Paul William Voelker was the son of Agnes Gillmore Halva Voelker and Orlando Voelker and born on March 2, 1956 at McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls. Paul’s childhood was on the family farm in Humbolt, SD with his three sisters. He graduated from West Central High School in 1974 and was a superior athlete participating in basketball, football, and track. He went on to attend Lake Area Vocational Technical School with a degree in Bio Medical Engineering. After a short employment in Rapid City, he returned to the Sioux Falls area and began his 40+ year career at Avera McKennan Hospital. At the culmination of his career he was Director of Bio Med. He was honored to be part of the Avera family.

Paul was selfless and was an incredible friend, one that silently would give to others without needing any recognition and always found the time to have soulful conversations with those he loved.  He had a passion for fly fishing in the Black Hills and Montana and would go with friends or make solo trips camping out in the back of his truck. You could find him sitting at his kitchen table tying flies for his next fishing trip. He loved hunting and training his labrador pups to tag along with him. Paul had a strong love for the military as his son and nephew currently serve in the South Dakota Air National Guard. Paul even went on to obtain his private pilots license and had great interest in flying and air planes.

He particularly loved fishing with his nephew Adam, who was like a son to him. You could find him regularly watching athletic events for his grandchildren, which he fondly enjoyed. Paul was a simple man who had an incredibly strong faith and loved his family beyond measure notably his children Gordy, Danielle, and Christine. They would tell you they would receive messages in the middle of the night just to let them know he was thinking of them and that he loved them unconditionally and would do just about anything for them.

Grateful for having shared his life are his family and friends especially: his son Gordy (Angela) Haldeman of Hartford, SD; his two daughters Danielle (Philip) Hedlof of Waconia, MN and Christine (Shawn McDougall) Voelker of Sioux Falls, SD; his five grandchildren, Broc and Rylee Haldeman, Quintin and Sawyer Hedlof, and Aiden McDougall; his three sisters Marilyn Dancsisin, Ellen (Duane) Winberg, and Jane (Richard) Bristow; many nieces and nephews; and so many great friends.

In addition to his family, he was preceded in death by his parents Agnes and Orlando, brother-in-law David Dancsisin, and dear friend Dave Hollie.

Paul quietly slipped through a door in this world and opened the next to everlasting life. Thank you Lord for gracing us in this world with Paul’s presence and kind heart. We know we will see Paul silhouetted in the sunset, standing silently in a calm stream casting out a fly savoring the beauty in eternal life.

Thank you for keeping us close to your heart in prayer and we will always be grateful for the life of Paul, our beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend.

Memorials can be directed to The Avera Foundation.

www.harrisburgchapel.com