Ray Vollmer

Ray Vollmer, 95, residing at Primrose Retirement Community of Wausau, died on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital.

He was born on July 29, 1930, in Tigerton, the son of George and Anna (Bloechl) Vollmer.

Ray graduated from High School in 1948 in Birnamwood. He attended a barber college in Green Bay but decided that being a barber was not his calling. Thus, he volunteered to join the Navy in 1955. He attended boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center near Chicago. From Great Lakes, Ray was sent to Norfolk, Virginia, the home port of the 6th Fleet, the U. S. Navy's operational unit and staff of U. S. Naval Forces.

With this assignment, Ray was aboard the U. S. S. Chloris, an aircraft repair ship. Later, Ray worked for the naval intelligence department in Londin, England, under the guidance of Admiral Wright, commander-in-chief of the U. S. Atlantic Fleet. At this time, Admiral Wright was also involved in the overseeing of the modernization and readiness of the U. S. Atlantic Fleet during the Cold War.

After examinations and obtaining top-secret clearance, Ray was placed at the Pentagon, the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense in Arlington, Virginia. At the Pentagon, Ray was involved with IBM technology for a couple of years.

When he left the Pentagon in the mid-60's, he worked in Fond du Lac in the food and drug department for A. C. Nielsen Company, a global marketing research firm.

Ray bought a dairy farm and also a beef farm, both in Shawano County, near his hometown. While running the farms, he also worked for Banner Banks in Birnamwood/Antigo/Hatley. He later worked at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the Management Information Technology Department for about 18 years.

Ray is survived by his sister, Nancy Mueller of Hatley; nieces and nephews, Debra (Dennis) Rew of Birnamwood, Diane (Alan) Schultz of Shawano, Michelle (Steve) Turney of Birnamwood, Trudy (John) Hill of Hortonville, Matt Vollmer of Hortonville, Mary Vollmer of New London, Colleen Vollmer of Milwaukee, Nicole Vollmer of Stoughton, Virgil (Carrie) Mueller of Mosinee, Dawn (Michael) Peschel of Madison and Becky (Perry) Kasprak of Hatley; and many great nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Jeanette (Norman) Opper; brother, Milan (Vivian) Vollmer; brother-in-law, Virgil Mueller and niece-in-law, Bonnie Vollmer.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, February 28th, 2026, at St. Philomena Catholic Church, Birnamwood. Father Vicente Llagas will preside. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be held on Saturday from 9:00 am until the time of service at the church. Following the Funeral Mass, Military Rites will be take place in the church parking lot, conducted by Darling-Gunderson Post #341, American Legion Birnamwood.

Schmidt & Schulta Funeral Home, Wittenberg, is assisting the family with arrangements. Memories and message of support may be shared at schmidtschulta.com.