Florian "Flo" Volk

Florian “Flo” Leo Volk, 73, of Aberdeen, died peacefully at his home surrounded by his family on Monday, December 22, 2025. Florian’s wishes were to be cremated, and a Celebration of Life gathering will be held at a later date in April of 2026 in Aberdeen.

Florian Volk was born April 20th, 1952, on the kitchen table in Hague, ND, to George and Mary (Feist) Volk, and his arrival was so exciting that his older sister Marilyn attempted to sell tickets to the event.

The family moved to Aberdeen, SD, where Florian attended public school, graduating from Aberdeen Central High School in 1970. As a boy and into High School, Florian would spend his summers working on his uncle Nick’s farm near Strasburg, North Dakota. After high school, he worked at the Safeguard Foundry, managed the St. Mary’s Youth Center, and then worked at Dakota Midland Hospital, where he met the love of his life, Janet Schwalbe, in the fall of 1979. They were married on March 21, 1980, and their son, Nicholas, was born in the fall of 1981. Shortly after Nick was born, Florian started Volk Upholstery.

In 1985, Florian began attending Northern State College, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technologies in December 1990 from Northern State University. During his time at NSU, he was the president of Epsilon Pi Tau fraternity and was involved in the placement of the rainbow at Storybook Land. He was also the President of the NSC Industrial Education Club. Just before graduation, Florian started work as a vocational instructor at the Adjustment Training Center and continued his upholstery work part-time until taking it on full-time in 1996.

In 2004, Florian went on disability and passed Volk Upholstery on to his son Nick, who continues to operate the business today. Florian was instrumental in helping Nick teach his girls to hunt and fish, and loved to tag along on hunting and fishing excursions.

Despite his health, Florian always maintained a positive and upbeat outlook his entire life. His alter ego was Santa Claus. When he put on his suit, he became Santa--he even made his own suit.

In May of 2025, he was the second post-trials recipient of the first leadless, wireless Abbot pacemaker at Sanford Heart Hospital. It was his mission to share this new technology with everyone he met. It is the first pacemaker to go inside the heart itself.

Florian fought a short battle with cancer and spent his final days surrounded by his family and friends in his home. He wanted everyone to know that “I lived my life on my own terms” and that he had “one hell of a life.”

Florian is survived by his wife of 45 years, Janet; son Nick (Nicole) Volk; granddaughters Jada and Maci; special family Sarah (Morgan) Metzinger; siblings Geraldine Glaser, Mel (Pat) Volk, Lori (Rick Shackle) Volk; in-laws Linda (Terry) Salfrank, Lisa VanBeek, and many generations of nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Marilyn Hildebrand, in-laws Lew and Lila Schwalbe, and nephew Doug Glaser.

Florian’s Family is grateful to Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary in Aberdeen for handling his arrangements.