A life remembered: Tom Volk (1959-2022)

He was elected president of the Mycological Society of America and received the MSA Weston Award for Excellence in Teaching. He was an exceptionally popular speaker for mushroom clubs throughout the country and was honored with the North American Mycological Association’s Lifetime Contributions to Amateur Mycology award.

His “Tom Volk’s Fungi” website is popular for Tom’s humor and extensive mycology knowledge. Tom also deeply loved marching band music. He volunteered with Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps for 14 years, doing what he did best: making friends and spreading kindness.

Tom taught many about the wonderful world of fungi, but also taught compassion and gratitude. Tom was quick with a pun but even quicker with a kind word. One of his catchphrases was “every day is good” and he lived that motto always, even when he was too sick to teach. His legacy lives on in all who knew and loved him.

A memorial was set for Tom’s 64th birthday, Jan. 28, 2023. Please visit the Biology Homepage for details and updates, and to share memories.