Sylvia was born on May 17, 1923 in Ray, ND. Her mother died in 1929 & she moved to Urbank when her father remarried.
Attended Sacred Heart school in Urbank, which taught only German but she only knew English. She went from the dumbest to the smartest student when they switched to English. Spent her summers in Wheelock, ND where she loved to watch the trains full of hobos passing by. She graduated from St. Francis High School in Little Falls in 1941.
She married Wilfred on September 29, 1942 at Sacred Heart Church in Urbank.
Spent the war years in TX and CO plus worked at the Garden Center in Alexandria. Worked at Kraemer’s General store in Urbank, also the air craft factory & Red Owl Grocery store in Alexandria. Sylvia was an Avon rep for 23 years.
Raised her seven boys in Parkers Prairie, Urbank, Herman, Alexandria & Coon Rapids. Retired in 1985 and traveled to CA, FL, IL, WA, Canada, Europe & Mexico. Loved swimming, playing whist, golfing, gardening & family gatherings.
She served the Stephen Ministry at St. Timothy's Church.
Also did Volunteer work at Mercy Hospital gift shop, Anoka Food Shelf & Meals on Wheels.
Sylvia was a devoted Catholic and charity supporter.
She will truly be missed by her family.
The family would like to thank Carolyn Breitbach for being a faithful friend.
Survivors include sons, Wilfred A. (Julia), Bernie (Sue), Ron (Shirley), Tom (Julie), Fred (Marne) & Jeffrey; 19 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; nieces, Arlene Dragseth & Judy Germann; name sake, Sylvia (Klimek) Volk.
Preceded in death by parents, George S. & Mary Magdalene (Schmitz) Ulmen; step-mother, Gertrude (Fridgen) Revering-Ulmen; husband, Wilfred P.; Son, Patrick J.; sisters, Winnifred Kvalvik, Lucy, Marcella Snyder, Agatha Halvorson; brothers, George M. & Bernard; step-sister, Theresa Suchy; step-brothers, George, Hugo, Al, Adam, Leonard & Herbert; god child, Sylvia (Suchy) Kotz.
Visitation: Monday, 9/17/18 from 4-7 p.m. at Gearhart Funeral Home, 11275 Foley Blvd. NW, Coon Rapids, and one hour prior to the service at the church.
Mass of Christian Burial: 11 a.m. Tuesday, 9/18/18, at Church of St. Timothy, 707 89th Ave NE, Blaine.
Burial: Epiphany Cemetery, Coon Rapids.
Memorials may be made to Caring and Sharing Hands, Minneapolis.
