Jan. 4, 1940 – Aug. 21, 2019

NATCHEZ— A Memorial Mass for Robert Clifton Voss, 79, of New Orleans, who died peacefully Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019, after a four-year fight against Alzheimer’s, will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary Basilica.  
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time at the church.
Local arrangements under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.
Mr. Voss was born Jan. 4, 1940, in Natchez, one of seven children of Axel and Delphine Voss.
Bob graduated from Cathedral High School in 1958 and was a three-sport letterman and won the Sportsmanship Award.
He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1962 with a bachelor of science degree in accounting. He was president of the freshman class and treasurer of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.
Bob joined the U.S. Navy and was selected as a reserve officer candidate in Newport, Rhode Island. He was commissioned as a Naval Officer following college graduation.
His first duty assignment was aboard the Navy’s first nuclear powered aircraft carrier, the USS Enterprise (CVN 65), serving as the air transport officer during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.
Bob was later selected for initial flight school at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida, followed by advanced training at Naval Air Station, New Iberia, Louisiana, where he earned his Navy “Wings of Gold”.
His fleet duty assignments included VS-26 Antisubmarine Warfare squadron as a pilot aboard the USS Randolph (CV-15) flying S-2 Trackers, and later in VAW-121 Airborne Early Warning squadron as a pilot flying E-lB Tracers. During this latter tour, Bob was responsible for saving an aircraft and the lives of five crew members following a landing hook separation and subsequent emergency barricade landing aboard the USS Randolph.
He then served as the officer in charge of the Reserve Transport Squadron flying C-118 aircraft at the US Naval Air Station, New Orleans. He retired as a Lt. Commander from the Navy following a 20-year career.
After military retirement, Bob was a commercial airline pilot with Pan­ American Airlines and after a corporate merger, a commercial pilot with Delta Airlines. He retired from Delta Airlines in 1998.
Following his aviation career, Bob was involved in real estate investments and property management for a number of years. He was proud to be a Man of Manresa.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Barbara Hayman; one brother, Freddie Voss of Natchez; and one sister, Libby Voss of Natchez.
Survivors include one son, Page Voss of New Orleans; one daughter, Natalie Scoville of Orlando, Florida; three brothers, Carl Voss and wife, Glenda, of Natchez, Bill Voss and wife, Jean, of McComb, and Philip Voss and wife, Nancy, of Jacksonville, Florida; one sister, Delphine Voss Prestridge of Natchez; sister-in-law, Pat Voss of Natchez; the mother of his children, Peggy Page Voss of New Orleans; three grandchildren, Emily Scoville, Robbie Scoville and Dillon Voss; stepchildren Linda Joffrion, Jeanne Stearns and husband, Steve, and Lori Fowler (deceased) and husband, Jim; and 13 nieces and nephews and 20 first cousins.
The family would like to express its deep appreciation to Bob’s long-term caregivers, Ann Dupont, Jessica Scholl, Katie James, Brenda Booth, TosannaLopez,GenetteParks,GarfielyneLandryandSusanLang,andto CanonHospice.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at laidfh.com.