Gordon Howe Volkmann

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of retiree Gordon Howe Volkmann, 78, of Woods Hole, who died Thursday, December 25th at the Forestview Nursing Home in Wareham. He was the husband of the late Suzanne (Brainerd) Volkmann who died in 2001.

Gordon was born in Paris, France, the son of the late James H. and Mary (Lyon) Volkmann, and moved to the United States in 1935. He graduated from Deerfield Academy and Williams College and received his Master’s Degree from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. He joined the Oceanographic as a physical oceanographer in 1948 working for Allyn Vine. In 1981 he transferred to the property office working for Roland Masse until his retirement in 1987.

He is survived by two sons, Timothy Volkmann of Woods Hole and David Volkmann of Pocasset; three daughters, Abigail Volkmann of Goldendale, Washington, Elizabeth Volkmann of Prudence Island, Rhode Island and Leigh Volkmann of Woods Hole; six grandchildren; and three sisters, Ann Dick of Salt Lake City, Utah, Ruth Volkmann of Seattle, Washington, and Elizabeth Louise Young of Atlanta, Georgia.

Friends may drop by the family residence at 3 Spencer Baird Road in Woods Hole to share memories on Friday, January 2, from 2 to 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers donations in Gordon’s memory may be made to Alzheimer’s Services of Cape Cod, P.O. Box 953, Barnstable, Massachusetts 02630.