Stephen Voss Sr.

JERSEYVILLE

April 19, 2008 - 6:35 PM

Stephen Jay Voss Sr., 66, died Thursday, April 18, 2008, at his residence.

He was born May 15, 1941, at Alton Memorial Hospital, one of two sons born to Joseph and Mildred (Rain) Voss. Both parents preceded him in death.

Stephen attended Alton public schools and was a 1959 graduate of Alton Senior High. He then attended the University of Missouri in Rolla, Mo. After working at Rain and Rain Grocery store, he spent the better part of his work life with the Alton Box Board Co. and Mead Packaging of Atlanta, Ga., in Godfrey. The work consisted of working five years in the packaging machinery department, 10 years as the plant estimator in the orders and planning department and 17 years as a production shift superintendent until the Godfrey plant's closure in 1979. Stephen's community accredits include serving as Precinct No. 9 Committeeman of North Alton during the 1970s and 1980s for 17 years during Alton Mayor Paul Lenz's administration. He served on the Alton Housing Commission and was the commission's chairperson for five years. Later in life, he served as an election judge in Jersey County. In his leisure time, he enjoyed reading, keeping up on current events and family life.

He is survived by his first wife, Wanda Anderson, mother of their four children. The children are son and daughter-in-law, Stephen and Dawn Voss Jr. of Alton; daughter and son-in-law, Deborah and Herman Maple of Brighton; son and daughter-in-law, David and Ann Voss of Godfrey; and son and daughter-in-law Jeffrey and Dawn Voss of Brighton. He is survived by eight grandchildren, Chris Maple, Matt Maple, Jessica Voss, Nathan Voss, Jenny Voss, Kassandra Voss, Joseph Voss and Katie Voss and three great-grandchildren, Nathan Meyer, Maliah Maple and Brennon Maple. In addition, he is survived by the two stepchildren of his late wife, Janice R. Stevens-Voss; one daughter and son-in-law, Sheryl and Tom Phillips of Jerseyville; and a son and daughter-in-law, Brian and SeAnn Walkington of Jerseyville. He is also survived by nine step-grandchildren. Martin Voss and his wife, Sharon Voss, of Punta Gorda, Fla., are Stephen's surviving brother and sister-in-law, as well as the following sister and brother-in-laws of his marriage to Janice. They are Joanne and James Applegate, Mary Jane and Jim Russell, Cara and Mark Cummisky, and Jeanne and Carl Crowe.

Visitation was held Tuesday, April 22, at Gent Funeral Home in Alton, where Pastor Seeram Gurney officiated at services at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 23.

Burial was at Valhalla Memorial Park in Godfrey.

Memorials may be made to the Jerseyville Public Library, 105 North Liberty St., Jerseyville, IL 62052.

Additional information and guestbook may be found at www.gentfuneralhome.com.