Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Voelker, Henry F. 1948
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Marilyn Ransom mlnransom@chartermi.net July 25, 2013, 3:13 pm

The Ionia County News, Thursday, November 11, 1948

Henry F. Voelker, former Ionia city postmaster and widely known in business, 
fraternal and civic circles here, died Monday in the Blodgett Hospital in 
Grand Rapids after a lingering illness. He became ill at his apartment last 
August and later was transferred to the hospital.

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the First Methodist Church.  
Masonic lodge of which he was a member had charge of the Masonic service. Rev. 
F. G. Dunbar of Grand Rapids, assisted by Rev. Howard Smith, officiated.  Pall 
bearers were Clarence Johns, F. O. Eldred, A. V. Wright, Edwin White, A. 
Slowinski, Ionia, and J. Barkwell of Grand Rapids.  Burial was in Oak Hill 
Cemetery.

Active in the city’s business and civic life for 65 years, Mr. Voelker was a 
familiar personality in the downtown business section and was known to 
virtually everyone either by his first name or as “Uncle Henry.”  He 
maintained a constant interest in community affairs and, until his final 
illness, his activities were little diminished by advancing age.

In the days when barber shops were a frequent gathering place for business men 
in small communities, he operated the city’s principal shop.  In those pre-
safety razor days, many a business man slipped out for a shave after arriving 
downtown and the Voelker shop was a general meeting place for merchants and 
others.

Mr. Voelker first became associated with his shop when he moved here at the 
age of 17 and took over the place, which was formerly operated by Mose Werner, 
in partnership with Herzie Menning.  Illness six months later forced him to 
take a trip to California but he then returned and took over operation of the 
shop as sole owner.  He maintained the shop until many years later when he was 
appointed postmaster.  One of his frequent patrons was the late Governor, Fred 
W. Green.

Active in Republican politics, Mr. Voelker first became supervisor in the 
second ward and held that post 11 years.  He was named postmaster in 1922 and 
served there for 10 years and until a change in political administration.  He 
was also a member of the Board of Education at one time and served for many 
years on City Council’s Cemetery Commission.

After his retirement from the post office, Mr. Voelker took over the real 
estate and insurance agency started by his son. He continued active in that 
until spring when his health began to fail and the business was sold to Al 
Slowinski who had long been associated with the agency. 

An ardent Mason, Mr. Voelker was a member of every Ionia organization of that 
order and was also a 32 degree member of the DeWitt Clinton Consistory of 
Grand Rapids.  He was also a charter member of Ionia B.P.OE. No. 548.

He was married in 1894 to Lillie Cutler who died several years ago.  Surviving 
him are a son Russell of Washington D.C.; a daughter, Mrs. Lawrence Conner, 
Ionia, two brothers, Frank of Lima, O., Stanley of Reed City; two sisters, 
Mrs. Bertha Eckardt, Woodbury, Mrs. Ida Leader, Grand Rapids; and three 
grandchildren.


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