Dr. Veril Van Volk

November 18, 1938 - May 19, 2021

Veril “Van” Volk passed away on May 19, 2021 at the age of 82 at home in Corvallis, Oregon. He was born November 18, 1938 in Montgomery, Alabama and spent his childhood in Auburn (AL), Wooster (OH), and Worthington (OH). Van earned his Boy Scout Eagle Award in 1954 and graduated from Worthington High School in 1956. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Soil Science at Ohio State University in 1960 and 1961, respectively. He served in the Air National Guard and was activated to Germany in 1961-1962. Van followed in the footsteps of his father and two uncles to earn his doctorate in Soil Science at the University of Wisconsin in 1966. He joined the faculty at Oregon State University in 1966, where he taught soil chemistry and continued as Associate Director of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station. He enjoyed his work travels abroad (Kuwait, Albania, India, etc.) and throughout the U.S. He retired in 1998 and was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy. Van married Doris (Mangum) on September 7, 1968. They had three daughters, Gayle, Beverly, and Carol. Van’s most treasured memories were of his daughters and their accomplishments. Van and Doris enjoyed traveling in the Pacific Northwest (especially the Oregon coast) and hiking and visiting with friends in Arizona. Van loved visits from his daughters and grandchildren. A favorite pastime was cultivating and crossing iris. Van is survived by his wife Doris, daughters Gayle and Carol (Adam Smolinski), and brother Bob (Shari) Volk. He will join their daughter Beverly and parents, Alice and Garth Volk, at Oaklawn Cemetery in Corvallis. Formal services are not planned at this time. His family requests that donations in Van’s memory be made to Grace Lutheran Church or Lumina Hospice, in appreciation of their support during his final weeks with cancer. Arrangements were handled by McHenry Funeral Home (https://www.mchenryfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Veril-Volk/).