Robert Volker remembered

BIG SPRING -- Grieving for the son she lost in Iraq, a Big Spring mother urged people to continue supporting U. S. troops -- from those doing desk jobs to those on the ground far from home.

Melissa Volker will lay her 21-year-old son, Robert "R.J." Volker, to rest at 10 a.m. today at First Baptist Church here with the Rev. Craig Felty officiating. Interment will follow at Trinity Memorial Park.

Her son, 19-year-old Johnathan, an electrical engineer in the Navy, escorted his brother home Thursday. He is stationed with the DDG USS Roosevelt in Mayport, Fla., and is set to be officially deployed in March.

Both boys graduated from Big Spring High School, R.J. in 2003. They each played football and played in the band. R.J. enjoyed skateboarding, basketball and hanging out at home with his family.

"I'm celebrating my child. He was such a great guy. He's funny, he's compassionate. He got very emotional about things," Melissa said.

R.J. graduated from the auto body repair course at Universal Technical Institute in Houston in 2004. He worked at Big Spring Collision Center before enlisting Sept. 22, 2005.

Owner John Bryans remembered R.J. Volker as a quiet guy who was always respectful and never said anything that didn't need saying.

"It's hit home. ... It struck you in the heart to hear about it (his death) because he's such a lovable, likable guy," Bryans said, adding he was a better person for having known Volker.

When he told Bryans he decided to enlist in the Army, the businessman said he wasn't shocked. "He seemed like a guy that would definitely want to serve our country," he said, adding that at the same time he was scared for Volker.

"I hated for him to go, of course everybody in the shop was like 'don't leave.' Everybody in shop liked him," Bryans said. He noted that after one of the men who works for him heard about Volker's death, he said he knew Volker was in heaven because he said he had accepted Christ.

Melissa Volker said her son would have re-enlisted if he had completed his tour of duty.

"What my sons are doing and other kids in this community and across the country are doing is because they wanted to do it. They volunteered for it," Melissa said.

R.J. earned a combat Action Badge, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Blue Ribbon.

"These kids are helping communities, they're helping people," she said, adding as a mother, she taught her boys to help people and they heard the cry.

"... They're trying to keep things away from our door. ... If we leave now, it will be too soon. We'll always be there to help," she said, adding it's almost like the United States and Iraq have people with two different sorts of hearts.

Hit hard by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, both R.J. and Johnathan enlisted in the service about the same time with the younger one entering first.

"Johnathan I was prepared for," Melissa Volker said. He told her in January 2005 he wanted to join the Navy and he left Sept. 6, 2005.

Three days later, R.J. Volker told his mother he couldn't let his little brother enlist without him. "He's always wanted to be a soldier in the Army. I can't ever remember him not wanting to do that," she said.

"I'm devastated to lose my child. It hasn't hit me yet," Melissa added.

Volker said R.J., a combat engineer, was able to keep touch daily with his wife and parents via computer and Web camera. She said they knew something was wrong when they didn't hear from R.J. the morning of his death Dec. 20.

Her husband, Robert, a service technician with Palm Harbor Homes was in New Orleans when the Army showed up at her door, and Johnathan was in Mayport. "They came to the door and your whole world just stops," she said.

R.J. Volker was killed when an improvised explosive device exploded near his armored Humvee, the Army said. Melissa said she's never thought of herself as being strong, but she's a survivor. She said she thanks God for taking R.J. and not the other two in the Humvee with him.

"I'm not used to being without my kids. That's my only purpose is my kids," she said, adding Martha has officially joined the family.

"She is my daughter 100 percent. He (R.J.) couldn't have picked a better daughter ever. I'm sorry they didn't have enough time together," Melissa said.

Along with his brother and parents, Robert and Melissa Volker, survivors include R.J.'s wife, Martha Volker of Big Spring, grandparents, Jim and Gloria Roe and Chuck and Janet Frank, all of Big Spring; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Unfortunately, Melissa Volker said her son is not the only one who is going to die in the war on terrorism. Several youngsters from the Big Spring area and across the Permian Basin have lost their lives.

"I don't want people to feel sorry for us. I'm extremely proud of my sons," Melissa Volker said.

From the Reporter-Telegram

Related Link:
Robert J. Volker dies of injuries from I.E.D.