Douglas Vollmer

1930 - 2025

Douglas Vollmer

September 16, 1930 - January 16, 2025

Douglas Albert Vollmer was born in New Rochelle, NY, on September 16, 1930, to Walter E.B. and Amy E. Olive (Griffin) Vollmer. He peacefully passed away from kidney failure on January 16, 2025, under the compassionate care of the Maine Veterans' Home.

Douglas spent his childhood years in New York observing and catching hawks, crows, snakes, and other animals. As a teen, he collected specimens and photographed marine life along the coast of Maine. These experiences shaped his career as a biology teacher, instilling a lifelong sense of wonder for the natural world.

He graduated from the University of Maine in 1953, with a B.S. in Wildlife Conservation, then served in the US Navy (1953-55). After military service, he spent a year working for the California Fish and Game Department on the American River.

Douglas left California in 1956 to return home to Maine but fell in love with Montana while driving over Beartooth Pass. Douglas soon relocated to Missoula where he earned a teaching certificate, then an M.S.T. in Teaching Science, from the University of Montana. He went on to teach science at Sentinel and Hellgate High Schools between 1958 to 1966. Students often brought in animals for his inspection and rehabilitation, which resulted in a rattlesnake, porcupine, and a wounded Great Horned Owl becoming classroom residents.

While in Missoula, Douglas became extremely interested in the work of renowned conservationists and researchers, John and Frank Craighead. He joined one of the Craigheads' research projects monitoring the Canadian geese population living along the Flathead River. It was during this project that Douglas worked with Dwight "Stocky" Stockstad, the biologist leading the population study fieldwork. Stocky and his wife, Hope, were later instrumental in helping expand public access to land near the Ninepipe Wildlife Refuge.

Douglas married Kristina B. Hansson on January 26, 1963, in Trollhattan, Sweden. The couple returned to Montana where they bought a home on the Lewis & Clark Highway in Lolo. Family members included dogs, cats, a pet raven, an injured Golden Eagle, and eventually son, Niklas, who was born in 1966.

Douglas and family departed Missoula in 1966 after being offered the Science Department Chairman position at Hyde Prep School in Bath, ME, yet Douglas' connections to the people and natural beauty of Montana would have a lifelong impact. He remained in touch with fellow teachers and friends from Missoula for decades and spoke with several past high school students from sixty years ago a few times a year up till his death.

Teaching in Missoula started a 60-year passion for teaching human and marine biology, which Douglas shared with both high school and college students over his extended career. He was an impactful educator, and in 2017, was honored as the National Marine Educators Association Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Douglas loved teaching and inspired many to appreciate the natural world and embrace science. He retired from the profession at age 84.

He was a loving husband and father and is survived by his wife Kristina, son Niklas and grandson Tannus, daughter Jennifer (Loren Dickey) and grandson Maximilian, brother Donald (Charlene), nieces, nephews, cousins, and sisters/brothers-in-law.