x
Breaking News
More () »

Minnesotan who made thousands of toys after illness forced him out of farming, has died

Unable to farm any longer, John Volz dedicated his life to making and giving away toys.

MINNESOTA LAKE, Minn. — Editor’s note: This story originally aired on Dec. 11, 2017.

John Volz passed away at age 85 on Sept. 28 after a long battle with Lewy body dementia. John was able to continue his woodworking until last fall. 

In the seven years since his story aired, John’s family estimates he made another 4,000 wooden toys — all given away. 

ORIGINAL STORY:

It’s hard for a farmer to pull back on his giddy-up. Just ask John Volz.

“You can’t do what you used to do, and you still want to do it,” he says.

Forced by declining health to end his daily visits to the family farm, John walked from his house in town to his garage in the backyard and did what he knows. He got to work.

Credit: Boyd Huppert/KARE 11
John Volz at work in his garage.

It’s hard for a farmer to pull back on his giddy-up. Just ask John Volz.

“You can’t do what you used to do, and you still want to do it,” he says.

Forced by declining health to end his daily visits to the family farm, John walked from his house in town to his garage in the backyard and did what he knows. He got to work.

Credit: Boyd Huppert/KARE
Wooden toy tractors built by John Volz.

Nine months later, the 79-year-old has built a thousand wooden toys for children who might otherwise go without.

“I just don’t stop that easy,” says John, who was diagnosed earlier this year with Lewy body dementia.

This fall, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, John sent 450 toys to Houston. Other toys have been delivered, or soon will be, to a family shelter, a hospital and a mission in Arizona.

Credit: Boyd Huppert/KARE
Chris Volz says she's proud of the way her husband handled his diagnosis.

Minnesota Lake volunteer firefighters will also pack John’s toys in Christmas stockings for distribution to local children.

“I am so proud of him for what he does and so proud of the transition he’s making,” says Chris Volz, John’s wife.

Chris wondered how her husband would cope with being away from the farm for the first time in his life.

“You can take the man off the farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the man,” she said. “That’s him, he’s a farmer through and through. He was born to be a farmer.”

Credit: Boyd Huppert/KARE
John and Chris Volz display a little bit of the farm at their home in town.

Chris says John would spend eight to 15 hours a day on the farm now run by their nephew. “Then all of a sudden, we were both here together.”

The disease has already taken a toll. Twice John has needed stitches on his forehead because of falls. It’s also becoming more difficult for John to put his thoughts into speech.

Still, even after building a thousand toy tractors, cars and trucks, John’s not ready to quit.

“There’s some more stuff that I want to make,” he says, “when I get a little older, you know.”

Credit: Boyd Huppert/KARE
John Volz's hands at work on a wooden toy.

Boyd Huppert is always looking for great stories to share in the Land of 10,000 Stories! Send us your suggestions by filling out this form.

Before You Leave, Check This Out