James Clayton Vollnogle

James Clayton Vollnogle was born in Oak Park, Illinois 15 February 1929 and graduated from York Community High School in Elmhurst, Illinois in 1947. He was a member of the Honor Society and the Dramatic Honor Society. After high school he worked for several years as a clerk with the FBI in Washington, D.C. until he was drafted on 25 April 1951 into the United States Army.

Between Apr 1951 and Jan 1952 he trained with the 27th Armored Field Artillery Battalion – 1st Armored Division at Fort Hood, Texas. On 11 Feb 1952, he joined Class 12 of the Engineer Officers Candidate School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. On 15 Jul 1952, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers. From Jul 1952 through Dec 1952, he belonged to the 16th Armored Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Hood, Texas. He served in Korea from 25 Jan 1953 to 08 Sep 1953 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers and received the Commendation Medal. Between 1953 and 1955 he served at the US Army Finance Center, at Fort Harrison, Indiana. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on 15 July 1955.

He joined the Army Reserves and on 14 Jul 1960, he was promoted to Captain. 13 Jul 1967, he was promoted to Major. 09 Aug 1973, he was promoted to Lt. Colonel – CGSOC and received an Army Commendation Medal. On 08 Aug 1978, he was promoted to Colonel. He retired from the Army Reserves in 1983. In 2005, he was inducted into the Engineer Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame, at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. In 2015, he participated in one of the Indianapolis Honor Flights.

As a civilian, between 1955 and 1969, he worked for Holliday Steel Company, which later became J & L Steel Warehouse. He started working for Indiana Bell (AT&T) in 1969 and retired Dec of 1991. After his retirement he became interested in genealogy, researching census and obits. He also became interested in taking photos for FindaGrave. He travelled extensively with his second wife.

He acted in several Booth Tarkington Civic Theater productions and was interviewed for the 100 Anniversary Civic Theater video in 2015. It was at the Civic Theater that he met Carol Bishop who he married on 03 Feb 1956 in Indianapolis, Indiana. She preceded him in death. They had three daughters Leslie Anne, Lisa Jeanne and Lori Ellen and one granddaughter Jessica Carolyn.

On 06 Sep 1986 in Fort Wayne, Indiana he married Lorraine Louise (Leonard) Seitz who had three sons. Daniel (Cindy), Richard (Barbara) and Timothy. The large extended family includes Grandchildren Shelley (Sally), Shane (Stephanie), Jaime, Katherine, Sarah, Taylor and four Great grandchildren Kylie, Jackson, Sam and Aria.

A funeral service will be 3:00pm on Monday, November 28, with visitation from 1-3pm at Flanner and Buchanan- Washington Park East.