James Volner

James J. Volner, 40, of La Jolla, CA, went Home on July 26th, 2020. He passed peacefully at his childhood home in Merrimack, NH from complications related to treatment for aggressive lymphoma.

James loved laughter and happiness above all else, and he spread them wherever he went. His purely good heart, joie de vivre, and love for others ensure that his spirit will live on in our hearts. He loved Mustangs and baseball cards almost as much as his family. His happy places were Disneyland, Las Vegas, and Hawai'i, and his favorite holiday was Christmas. James was an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan, so if those teams do unusually well from now on, you know who to thank or blame!

The love that James had for others was returned to him in spades. As a result, he was blessed with several families: his birth family; his family of in-laws; his school family from both Concord Christian and Asbury College; his work family at Allianz; and innumerable friends who have become family. Not to mention his stellar Village! All of these people have enriched our lives beyond measure.

He is predeceased by his mother, Judith Volner. He is survived by his loving wife of 19 years, Rachel Volner; his son, Garrett; his father, Jim Volner and stepmother, Beverly (Paulhamus); his brother, Jay Volner; and his stepbrother, Mark Paulhamus.

Due to space limitations caused by the pandemic, the service will be private for family and close friends. It will be held at Bethany Covenant Church, 1 Covenant Way, Route 101, Bedford, on Thursday, July 30, 2020, at 10:00 am. For those who would still like to join, the service will also be streamed online (both live and available to view later). The link to view it online is: https://vimeo.com/442408556.

James made it this far in his battle with lymphoma thanks to the generosity of blood donors. In lieu of flowers, it was James' wish to pay it forward by asking that blood or platelet donations be made through the San Diego Blood Bank using code JV20, or through your local Red Cross.

Additionally, we ask that friends and family write a short note that describes James or that shares what they loved most about him. All of the responses will be gathered together to form a word cloud that will show the legacy he's left behind in our hearts. The website to do this is: www.tinyurl.com/jamesvolner.