Elroy Volberding Obituary
MAJ Elroy W. Volberding, USAF (RET) 'Roy', 82, of West Palm Beach, Florida passed away on January 12, 2021. Roy was born on November 10, 1938 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of the late Elroy and Evelyn Volberding (later Johnston). Roy graduated from Libertyville High School in 1956 and received his Bachelor of Science (BS) in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University, and his Master of Science (MS) in Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology..
Roy was a career Air Force Officer, retiring in 1978 with the rank of Major after completing 20 years of active-duty service. He was stationed overseas for most of his military service, in several different roles, including at a U.S. Air Force Base in Greece and NATO. After retiring from active military service, Roy then became a civilian government contractor working with several U.S. Government Agencies including the Department of Defense at Arlington Hall until eventually retiring in 1978.
He was involved in many noteworthy projects including the Star Wars program under President Ronald Reagan and worked directly with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) on the war on drugs in Latin America. Roy was a brilliant, kind, and generous man, who lived an inconspicuous but unconventional life. He had many interesting friends and loved both traveling and entertaining.
Among the countries he visited were Australia, the Caribbean Islands, France, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Greece, Mexico, New Zealand, Tahiti, United Kingdom as well as a many of the states of the U.S. He was devoted to his dogs, especially Wrigley, his golden retriever, and his afghan hounds. Roy had a passion for the arts which included opera, classical music, art, and theater. While residing in the Northern Virginia area, Roy was a yearly subscription ticket holder to The Washington Opera and later after moving to Coconut Grove in Florida he subscribed to the Miami Opera.
He was a lifelong fan of both professional football teams, the Washington Redskins, and the Chicago Cubs. Roy is survived by his wife of 36 years, Marta M. Opsahl of West Palm Beach, Florida; his daughter, Susan M. (Ellis) Clark of Atlanta, Georgia; his son, Kenneth A. Volberding of Stuart, Florida; his grandson, Christopher W. Clark of Atlanta, Georgia; his first wife and mother to his children, Mary E. Volberding of Arizona; his two sisters, Linda E. (Robert) Davis of Wisconsin, and Carol Stephens of Illinois. A Celebration of Life will be planned for a future date when public gatherings are no longer restricted due to COVID-19.
