Born to Edwin Voss Cole and Olla Rebecca Owens on 18 July 1908 in Ammon, Bonneville Co., Idaho. His brothers and sisters were Rella, Bonnie, Dessa, Ott, Wayne, Ralph, and Jesse.

As a child he lived in Preston, Idaho and attended schools in Preston, Idaho. As a young man he worked on farms and on the railroad.

He married Barbara Miralda Whitehead on 12 February 1936 in the Logan Temple in Logan, Utah. Their first home was in Preston in the old 6th ward where you rented a home. Voss ran the Lewis farm. He also worked for the highway - Idaho division spreading oil on new roads for 3 summers, and he ran the Mink Creek Ranch for Sherriff Lee Hansen.

Their children are: Marlene, Barbara Jean, Connie, Jesse Owen, and Norma. All of them were born in Preston, Idaho.

They moved to Filer, Idaho in 1945 to start farming on the Magic Valley Tract, until October 8, 1954 when Voss died very unexpectedly at the age of 46 of a massive coronary (heart attack).

Reflections on his father's life, by Jesse Owen (Jay), include memories of his dad raising dairy herds, which were "milked by hand". He also remembers the family having several horses, especially work horses. Jay loved to follow his dad around and help with the harnesses. One day his dad said to stay away from the horses, but since Jay was small enough to walk under the "belly" of the big horses, he continued to play close by. One day he slipped and fell and a big horse stepped on his back. He had a hoof p0rint there for quite a while. This took place in Mink Creek, Idaho on Sherriff Lee Hansen's ranch.

Other early memories are of the John Thomas farm in Buhl, Idaho where Jay and his four sisters helped weed and hoe crops, including "thinning" sugar beets. By this time his dad owned a "milking machine" and quite a dairy herd had accumulated. Jay was 10 when his dad bought a registered Holstein heifer for his 4-H project. All the girls also chose a heifer for their projects just from the herd. A lot was learned about halter-leading and caring for the 4-H calves. Grandpa Whitehead bought Jay's cow after Voss passed away. Jay reflects that his love for animals came from his dad's example and he has passed this on to his family. He remembers his dad as "very big and strong", but very gentle and his word was always honored. He worked hard and taught this to his children.

The summer before his death, Barbara and Voss were the dance instructors for the ward and could really "cut-a-rug". They took the youth from Filer Branch to the "All Church Dance Festival" in Salt Lake City.

Other church positions were: ward teaching to several families, and Sunday School Superintendent.

Another memory shared by all of his children was their dad's curly black hair and how fussy he was about it. He also s t a good example of loving Barbara (their mom), and how fun it was to do family things. When the milk check arrived they would go to town to a movie and have ice cream. Going to Willard, Utah on Memorial Day to visit the cemetery and meet all the aunts, uncles and cousins was one of the only vacations they went on. A trip to Yellowstone Park with the Bill and Rella Fife family was the other vacation.

When Voss passed away so unexpectedly, the neighbors and friends in Filer and Buhl came to the farm that fall and harvested the sugar beets and did whatever else had to be done. After a farm sale of equipment and machinery and the dairy herd, Barbara bought a home in Filer and the family moved there.

The only wedding of his children that Voss was able to attend was of his oldest daughter Marlene to Dennis Nielsen. He was able to see his first grandchild, Cindy Nielsen born.

At this time, in 1998, his posterity includes: five children and their spouses, 23 grandchildren, and 50 great grandchildren.

Source: This brief life sketch was compiled by Connie Cole Ogden with memoirs added by Voss' children.