Co-Workers Remember Vollmers

There is deep sorrow at both Sioux Falls Hospitals where Jim and Julie Vollmer worked.   Words don't come easy at a time like this, but on Monday, their co-workers found the strength to talk about the two people who they say impacted a lot of lives.

Julie Vollmer may be gone, but at Sanford Health, her presence is still here. 

Her memory lives on with co-workers as they placed her family photo in the birthing unit where she worked as a nurse and also outside at the nursing station.

"Julie was steady as a rock.  She is kind, caring.  I can never think of anybody she has ever said an unkind word about," clinical manager at Sanford Health's birth place Jeri Nelson said.

Julie impacted countless lives always thinking of others.  Monday, more than 100 of her co-workers gathered for lunch with Julie's mom, dad, sister, brother and her lone surviving child, Brittany.

"I have such peace seeing Brittany there.  Julie's family, you could tell she had a comfort level with them.  Sure she was in shock, but I feel rest assured that that family will take great care of her.  It's going to be tough, but she's a survivor," Nelson said.

At Avera Behavioral Health, where Jim worked since 2002, workers talked about a man who had a real passion for helping others in the senior program.

"I don't know, folks aren't going to get over this.  This is going to take awhile for us to process and deal with.  Jim will always be part of us and part of our team, no question about that," Steve Lindquist said.

Co-workers fight back tears when they talk about Jim the dad.

"In his office, he had umm...," Lindquist said as he choked up.

Inside Jim's office, there are still a couple of personal items that pretty much sum up the kind of family man Jim was. 

"One was a mug.  #1 dad coffee mug he used as a pencil holder and a plaque his children had given him talking about what a great dad he was," Lindquist said.

At Avera, they are going to set up a memorial fund in Jim's name to help with its senior program.