Jimmie Jay Volkert

May 24, 1958 - July 9, 2024

Jimmie Jay Volkert, 66 years of Columbus and formerly of Hicksville, passed away Tuesday, July 9, 2024, in his residence, after a 10-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Jimmie Jay was born May 24, 1958, in Hicksville, the son of the late Jay Thomas and Helen E. (Rhodes) Volkert.

He was a 1976 graduate of Hicksville High School and continued his education at The Ohio State University, graduating in 1980 with his degree in Political Science. He was a member of TBDBITL – the Ohio State Marching Band while attending Ohio State and was active in the Alumni Band each year for the past 40 years.

Jimmie Jay has always been involved in politics, always working and campaigning for Republican candidates he supported. He devoted countless hours endlessly campaigning over the years. He once ran for State Representative and was narrowly beaten. He was a former Insurance Representative, Former Executive Director of the United Way of Paulding County, and a former Deputy Recorder for the Franklin County Recorder’s Office. He was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. He was active in the Central Ohio Sigma Chi Association; he was chair of many an Ohio State Sigma Chi alumni formal Homecoming dinners and dinner dances and tailgates. He took immense pride in bringing all the generations together each year to celebrate Sigma Chi at Ohio State as well as his beloved Buckeyes. He carried the torch proudly. His role within the local, regional and National Sigma Chi chapters in helping educate new members of the fraternity on the basis of Sigma Chi and what brotherhood was, touched thousands of young men over the years. He was also a member of the Hicksville Masonic Lodge #478.

He loved History, he was an avid reader, enjoyed harness racing and loved talking about his family. He participated in the Doo-Dah Parade in Columbus, dressing as Batman. He was appointed as Grand Marshall one year. His most recent accomplishment was a Fentanyl Grant approved by the Ohio House of Representatives. He was an advocate for Delay the Disease - Parkinson’s Disease Treatment.

Preceded in death by his parents, Jimmie Jay is survived by several aunts, uncles and many cousins, as well as a host of Fraternity brothers and friends. A statement that sums up Jimmy is “Let everything you do be done in love”

A gathering of family and friends will be held on Friday, July 26, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. in the Oberlin-Turnbull Funeral Home, 706 North Main Street, Hicksville where a memorial service will begin at 1:00 p.m. immediately following visitation. Interment will follow in Lost Creek Cemetery. Hicksville Masonic Lodge #478 will conduct Masonic Services beginning at 12:45 p.m. prior to the service.

Memorial contributions can be directly to the Parkinson’s Foundation or to the Grace United Methodist Church, Hicksville.

Jim was a member of the marching band in 1978 and 1979. He played Trumpet.