Submitted by: Dan Rich

Thomas M. Voss

May 24, 1923 -- Aug. 16, 2004

South Bend Tribune 8/18/2004

SOUTH BEND -- Thomas M. Voss, 81, of Queens Row, passed away unexpectedly Monday evening, Aug. 16, in the intensive care unit at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, following a brief illness. He was born in Chicago, Ill., on May 24, 1923, to Herman J. Voss and Mary Jeffers.

Tom was married to Anna May Collins on Dec. 31, 1947, in South Bend, Ind. She passed away on Sept. 19, 1999, after 51 years of marriage. Tom also loved his family and would do (and did) anything for them. He lost his oldest daughter, Pamela A. Liebsch, on July 8, 1982, to cancer, a terrible pain which never left him. His other daughter, Christine M. (Paul) Said of Arizona, and his son, Thomas M. (Sue) of South Bend, survive along with seven grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. Two brothers also predeceased him, Jack (Pat) Voss of South Bend and James (Delores) Voss of Michigan City, Ind.

As part of the "Greatest Generation," Mr. Voss served his country in the Army during World War II, storming the beaches of Normandy, France, in the second wave on "D-Day." He was later injured, taking a piece of shrapnel, and was awarded the Purple Heart medal as well as several others medals. The G.I. Bill enabled him to attend the University of Notre Dame. He graduated in the class of 1949 along with the help from his priest rector who Tom said "looked the other way" when Tom came home after curfew because he knew that Tom was trying to help pay his way through school by being a drummer in a band on the weekends. He loved Big Band music. Tom could find humor in everything and had an uncanny way with people, making them feel comfortable around him or just making conversation. He'd say that was the Irish in him and his neat organizational, mathematical mind was the German in him.

Professionally, Tom's career for the most part was with the local Pepsi Cola bottler, from which he retired after many years as sales manager. He later owned his own soft-drink wholesaler, TNT Distributors, offering Canfield's and Canada Dry products. The last 18 or so years he was the manager of McGann's Executive Limousine Service and senior chauffeur. He was awarded the "National Driver of the Year" award by Limousine and Chauffeur Magazine, and had many famous and wealthy customers request "his services only" when they came into this area.

He had a deeply religious faith and was a devout Catholic, and rarely (he'd say never or his mother would haunt him) missed Mass. He was a member of St. Anthony's parish most of his life, living on the corner of Esther and East Washington streets, before that on Twyckenham, but in recent years was a regular at Fr. Grabner's Mass at the Holy Cross College Chapel. He was a former member of the Downtown South Bend Rotary Club, and current member of the Elk's Lodge #235 and the University Club.

Visitation will be Friday morning from 8 to 9 a.m. in the McGann Funeral Home's University Area Chapel, 2313 E. Edison at Ironwood. A celebration of his life and Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 9:30 a.m. in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame, Ind., with burial at Highland Cemetery following, next to Pamela. In lieu of flowers, the family would wish for Masses to be said or memorial donations to be made to any local charity or church.