Obituary of Paul Volk

Paul Volk, 91 years young, passed away peacefully on March 12, 2019 after a long and extremely feisty fight against cancer and cardiomyopathy. He passed on his terms, remaining home until five days prior to his passing, and then transferring to the Hospice Inn at St. Peter’s Hospital, where he always had family by his side.

Born on November 19, 1927, Paul was the son of the late Peter and Juliana Volk of Maplewood, NY. He grew up in a blended family where sports, St. Basil’s Orthodox Church, family and more sports dominated his young life and set him on a pathway to coaching and teaching Physical Education.

Following graduation from Heatly High School, Paul proudly served in the US Navy as a hospital corpsman. He then went on to SUNY Cortland and started his journey to becoming the exemplary physical education teacher and coach that he was. Following graduation, Paul started teaching phys ed at Wheelerville School in Caroga Lake where he met and married the love of his life, Amy. He then moved to Boston where he began proudly teaching and coaching in the Lincoln-Sudbury Schools. Paul and Amy had their three children while living in Sudbury, MA. Paul then moved his family back to NY to be closer to their extended families and made a home filled with love and laughter in Scotia, NY. Paul taught and coached at Schalmont High School for the rest of his teaching career where he influenced the lives of so many students. We believe that Paul remembered every single student that he ever taught or coached, and frequently had long discussions with former students wherever he met them.

Paul was extremely proud of his beloved second home, Wolf Pond Estate in the Adirondacks, of his past co-ownership of Sherman’s Amusement Park and Morris Foodarama, of his lifelong support of the arts at Proctor’s, of his beloved Cortland, of his coaching/teaching, of his Old Timer’s Baseball Club and of the friendships that he made at his coffee club at McDonalds. Paul would talk at length, as we all know, about the proudest of all of his accomplishments, marrying his wife of 61 years and raising a family with her.

Paul loved talking. He loved laughter and was a superb joke teller. He loved hunting and fishing, and spending time at Wolf Pond, especially with his son-in-law, John, and his best friend, George Corrigan. Paul loved all sports and knew virtually everything about sports, and would tell you so. Paul loved nothing better than gatherings and outings with his children and their families. He loved his family unconditionally and was so proud of being able to provide and to care for them and to share stories about them, to virtually anyone.

Paul is predeceased by his wife, Amaryllis (Amy) Morris Volk. He is survived by his son, Paul S. Volk and his wife Deborah of Richmond, VT; his son Gregory Volk of Brooklyn, NY; and his daughter Maryl Fabian and her husband John, of Rotterdam, NY. He is also survived by his most beloved and cherished grandchildren, Christopher Fabian (Nicole), Eric Fabian (Emily), Maximilian Volk, and Ian Volk. Paul is also survived by his brother- in- law, William Morris (Carol), his sister-in-law Thelma Subik (James) his niece and flower girl, Susan Hatch (Tim) and many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews and cousins on both sides of the family.  

Paul is predeceased by his parents Peter and Juliana Volk, his siblings, Mary Payne (Theodore), Fred Volk (Nina), Basil Volk, John Volk, Rosella Ciaccio (Thomas), Juliana Lance, and Madeline Volk. He is also predeceased by his in-laws, Thelma and Bill Morris, and Ronald Morris (Ruth) along with several members of his extended family.

Family and friends are invited to calling hours from 1-3 pm, on Sunday, March 17, 2019 at the Glenville Funeral Home, 9 Glenridge Road, Glenville, NY, followed by a 3:00 pm memorial service. In keeping with Paul’s wishes for “no fanfare at the time of his death”, we will host a celebration of his life, complete with joke telling and laughter, at Wolf Pond at a later date.

We would like to extend our thanks to Community Hospice of Schenectady who helped us to care for our father at home for as long as we could, and then allowed him to dictate his plan, right to the end, with a transfer to the Hospice Inn at St. Peter’s Hospital. While there he received exemplary care and was allowed to pass comfortably and with complete dignity. As he so well deserved.

In lieu of flowers, and in keeping with Paul’s love of special athletes in his life, high school sports, coaching, and education, memorial contributions may be made to Schalmont CSD, to support the Bryan Wotherspoon Memorial Fund. Schalmont High School, One Sabre Drive, Schenectady, NY 12306. Online condolences may be made at glenvillefuneralhome.com