hmtl5 Jack Carl Voelker b. 13 Jun 1924 Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa d. 11 May 2008 West Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa: Wunnenberg family
Jack Carl Voelker

Jack Carl Voelker

Male 1924 - 2008  (83 years)

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  • Name Jack Carl Voelker 
    • son of Carl Edward Voelker and Edna C. Robbins [1]
    Born 13 Jun 1924  Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Gender Male 
    Died 11 May 2008  West Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Buried Aspen Grove Cemetery, Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Person ID I75  Wunnenberg
    Last Modified 21 Mar 2023 

    Family Geraldine Grace Wunnenberg,   b. 09 Feb 1925, Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 22 Sep 2010, Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years) 
    Married 1950  [2
    Divorced 1975  [2
    Last Modified 18 Mar 2018 
    Family ID F42  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 13 Jun 1924 - Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 11 May 2008 - West Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Aspen Grove Cemetery, Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Headstones
    Voelker.JPG
    Voelker.JPG
    Plot: Plot: 600SE GU-3A 01

  • Notes 
    • Jack Carl Voelker, 83, of Burlington, IA, died at 6:58 p.m. Sunday, May 11, 2008, at Great River Medical Center in West Burlington.

      Born June 13, 1924, in Burlington, he was the son of Carl Edward and Edna C. Robbins Voelker. He married Geraldine Wunnenberg in 1950; they divorced in 1975. He married Marjorie Gahn, January 2, 1978, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

      For those who knew Jack, his lifelong passions were his love of life, his family, flying, the Mississippi River and the town of Burlington.

      Following graduation from Burlington High School in 1942, Jack enlisted in the Army Air Force and completed flight training in Texas and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1943. He completed advanced single-engine training in 1944. His initial training was as a fighter pilot and was assigned duties flying Bell P-39s. He was shortly reassigned duties as a flight instructor at Waco AAF, Texas. We continued to instruct new cadets until late 1944 when he was reassigned to multi-engine training. Following this he checked out as an aircraft commander in the Consolidated B-24 and was assigned duty with the 380th Bomb Group (heavy) - 531st Squadron. He flew bomb missions from Okinawa, targeting Japan. Following the surrender, he remained in Japan for several months flying as a courier pilot.

      Jack remained in the Air Force reserve and was recalled to active duty in late 1950. He was stationed at March AFB, California and Lake Charles AFB, Louisiana. In 1952 he volunteered for service in Korea. He became a Forward Air Controller with the 6147th Tactical Control Group. Following Korea he was stationed at Mather AFB, California, Otis AFB, Massachusetts, Chanute AFB, Illinois, Evreux AFB, France and Lowry AFB, Colorado. He retired from the Air Force on March 1, 1968. His total time in service was 25 1/2 years (20 1/2 years active) and he retired at the rank of Lt. Colonel.

      Following retirement from the Air Force, Jack returned to Burlington and worked for Remmers-Tomkins flight service as an instructor and charter pilot. In 1969 he set up the flight department for Winegard Antenna Company and remained as chief pilot until his retirement in 1988.

      His return to Burlington afforded him the opportunity to enjoy his boyhood love, the Mississippi River. He owned a number of boats. He loved taking people out on the river and telling them about the river, its history and how it had changed since his boyhood.

      After approximately 44 years of flying he had accumulated more than 25,000 hours of flight time and had flown over a hundred different types of aircraft (military and civilian). He completed over 110 combat missions. His decorations include; the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Air Force and Army Commendation Medal, and numerous other medals, ribbons and citations.

      Survivors include his wife, Marjorie of Burlington; one daughter, Christine Tipin (Curtin) of Boise, ID.; one son, Craig Voelker (Kerry) of Mt. Pleasant, IA.; two stepdaughters, Karen Glasgow (Terry) of Burlington, and Kristine Niehause (Steve) of Peachtree City, GA.; three stepsons, Kyle Gahn of Burlington, Craig Gahn of Cantril, IA, and David Gahn (Susan) of Minneapolis, MN; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Donna Lavine and Marion MacDonald both of Burlington and three nieces.

      He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant sister.
      [1, 2]

  • Sources 
    1. [S6] Find a Grave.

    2. [S7] Obituary.