L.E. "Sonny" Voss Jr.

Visitation will begin on Tuesday, September 25, 2012, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, 13001 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas 77079. A Funeral Service will take place at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home on Wednesday, September 26, 2012, at 12:30 p.m. Interment will take place at Memorial Oaks Cemetery.

Sonny was born on May 26, 1939 to Lucious Elton “Lee” Voss, Sr. and Nellie Katherine Sullivan Voss in Des Allemonds, Louisiana. As the son of an oilman, Sonny moved from town to town as a young boy before his family finally settled in Houston, Texas.

After graduating from high school in Winnie, Texas, Sonny followed in his father’s footsteps by moving to McAllen, Texas to work for John Voss Drilling Co. Although he was offered a college scholarship to play football, Sonny decided to make the oilfield his career.

Sonny married Virginia Carol Gish on August 23, 1958 and welcomed a son, Elton Brett, on June 16, 1960, followed by a daughter, Terri Jo, on June 11, 1962.

In 1968, Sonny decided to make a major change for his family’s life by joining Reading & Bates Drilling Co. to work in the oil business overseas. During his career as a third generation oilman, Sonny and his family were stationed in Teheran, Iran; Ahwaz, Iran; Luanda, Angola; Lagos, Nigeria; Brunei; and Singapore.

In the midst of his career, Sonny suffered a major setback when he was forced to undergo open heart surgery in 1979 by the world-reknown hands of Dr. Denton Cooley. But he rebounded, continuing his unprecedented climb on a high school education from driller in 1968 to president of drilling and vice president of operations worldwide for Reading & Bates Corporation.

Tragically, only four months after his retirement from Reading & Bates, Sonny’s wife Virginia died suddenly on April 13, 1997. Following 38 years of marriage, Sonny experienced some very difficult times, and he cherished his daughter for “always being there for me and helping me over the high jump of my lifetime.”

But Sonny found new meaning for his life when he “received a God send” in Bertha Kohlman, who became his wife on July 10, 1999. Sonny and Bert spent 13 years of retirement together, taking hunting, fishing, snow skiing and various other trips, as well as enjoying time with each of their families. Sonny and Bert are members of First United Methodist Church, Fulshear, Texas.

Sonny’s children were “the love of my life,” and he always made time for weekend family outings to go boating and water skiing. An avid hunter and angler, Sonny always took his vacation during hunting season while working internationally so that he could return home to hunt whitetail deer and quail. He called the hunting and fishing trips with his son “such a joy.”

In 2007, Sonny’s health began to steadily decline with numerous procedures and many visits to the hospital with congestive heart failure. On his passing, he wants family and friends to be happy for him, knowing that he will be in a better place in Heaven, alongside his brothers, Travis and Dick, and of course, Virginia.

Survivors include wife Bertha Voss; son Elton Brett Voss, his wife Simone of Meridian, and children Kayla Michelle, Jacob Brett, Zachary Dillon of Cedar Park, Wessel Nanninga of Groningen, The Netherlands and Tymen Nanninga of The Netherlands and Derek Joseph; daughter Terri Jo Ashby, husband Brock of Katy, and children Cassandra Nicole, Camille Ashby of Brooklyn, NY and Caroline Burger and husband Greg of Austin; stepson Mark Kohlman, his wife Karen of Ledbetter, and children Joe Blake and Jay; stepdaughter Kristi Sklar, husband Robert of Hico, and children Cade of Midland and Sierra of Stephenville; as well as numerous extended family members and friends.

Pallbearers will be Elton Brett Voss, Brock Ashby, Mark Kohlman, Robert Sklar, Cade Sklar, Dan LaFleur, Mack Stewart and Miller Bassler.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the American Heart Association, 10060 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, Texas 77054, 713-610-5000 and to the Wounded Warrior Project, 877-958-2233, www.woundedwarriorproject.org.