Edward G. Voss

I was his student at the UMBS during the summer of 1963. His field trips inspired my teaching as a professor at Springfield College for 44 years. His ebullient personality was infectious. I wrote a field guide on the biological interaction of wetland plants , probably inspired by Dr. Voss.

I was a roommate of Ed at Denison University. His contributions to our fraternity as a student and as an alumnus were numerous. He is missed by his friends.

Ed Voss was one of the most influential people to inspire my early botanical career. I first met Ed 35 years ago, as an aspiring young botanist seeking his taxonomic insight regarding some aquatic plants. I held him in such esteem that I was shaking with nerves as I approached his office. As it turned out, Ed was thoroughly cordial to me and my jitters quickly dissipated. Moreover, he was so supportive of my proposed research and so strongly encouraged my studies, that I left our meeting with a renewed dedication to my work. I always considered Ed to represent the epitome of care and detail. He always was so thorough and set a perfect example for others to follow. Ed's Michigan Flora is a masterpiece that clearly exemplifies his meticulous approach to floristics. I will never forget Ed, the wonderful example that he set, and the inspiration that he provided to me during a critical period of my career development. He truly was one of a kind and I am so fortunate to have known such an outstanding botanist.

Ed's passing is a great loss for Michigan Botanical Club. Ed had a long history of involvement with the club. He was a founding member of the Huron Valley Chapter and could always be counted on to attend its meetings.
At the Winter 1960, state board of directors meeting of the Michigan Botanical Club, President Richard Giles “appointed Alex Smith, Elzada Clover, and Ed Voss to start the oft discussed Ann Arbor - Ypsilanti chapter. Miss Gillette presented $5.60 to start the treasury of the new chapter and Rogers McVaugh contributed $2.00.”
Within two weeks, Ed Voss and Alex Smith presented a constitution for the Huron Valley Chapter modeled after the parent organizations constitution.
After the formation of the Huron Valley Chapter in 1960, serious consideration was given to the publication of a botanical journal. The result was The Michigan Botanist, a quarterly journal. The first issue came out in March 1962, and the second in September.
Ed gave numerous talks to the various chapters of the Botanical Club. I particularly remember his talk on his visit to Australia. He said that he finally understood what the first day of Boreal Flora was like.
Ed loved puns. At a meeting of the Huron Valley chapter in the early 1980's, members of the club were expressing concerns about the policies of James Watts, then secretary of the interior. Ed piped up and said it sounded like the Kill-a-watt hour.
When the Ann Arbor news would make a faux pas, botanical or otherwise, we could be sure that a letter to the editor by Ed would be forthcoming. Once the Ann Arbor News had an article about a monastery in the Keweenaw that produced thimbleberry jam and the article implied that thimbleberries only grew in the Keweenaw. As any reader of Michigan Flora knows, thimbleberries grow throughout the Upper Peninsula and the northern Lower Peninsula and were one of Ed's favorite plants. The Ann Arbor News got quite the dressing down from Ed.
The first Lifetime Achievement Award of the Michigan botanical club was presented to Ed for his long-time service to the club and the completion of his monumental three-volume work, Michigan Flora. After two failed attempts at surprising him at the 1998 Spring Foray and fall meetings, the award was presented to Ed in his office at the Herbarium by then MBC Vice-President Dan Skean. It was a life-size carving of a dwarf lake iris, Iris lacustris, which had been hand-carved and painted by Jim Sams of London, Kentucky.

Ed noted that the timing was quite good, for only a week earlier the Michigan legislature had taken historic action to make the dwarf lake iris Michigan's state wildflower. The day he received the award, Ed wrote to then state president Wood Ehrle:
“The wooden iris is absolutely beautiful! It is unbelievable that it is all wood. Proportions, color, texture are all so realistic that even from a close view, it looks like it is real and booming out of season (especially in this mild year). I understand that indeed it is one-of-a-kind in every way. It will rest in a place of honor in the middle of a large glass-walled curio cabinet that I have in my house, where it will be protected from dust, greasy fingers, and inadvertent accidents – and where it will bloom for me all winter every year. In your final days as MBC president, I send my deepest thanks to you and the club for this honor and for the elegant little iris that symbolizes it so beautifully!”
In August 2009, the club, along with the Biological Station, sponsored a MBC Mini-foray and Dr. Edward Voss Celebration Weekend. Ed gave a talk on Thomas Nuttall in Michigan 1810 and led a field trip to grass bay, near Cheboygan, MI. I am very glad that the MBC held this event while Ed was still able to participate. His big smile in a photo taken by Nathan Stouffer at Ed's beloved Grass Bay nature preserve is how I will remember him.

In Memory of Edward, I never had the honor to have met him, but i offer my prayers and best wishes for an everlasting peace to Edward, in a field of Plants.. I am a former Woodward Polarbear also class of 1967.
(vicky Lee Gaard (Herman) Robstown, Tx)

I shard a broadcast course with Ed at our days at Woodward High. From time to time, I've seen his name in the local paper. I have lived in Washtenaw County since graducating from the U of M in 1950 BA and 1951 AM.

Edward made contributions to society that will not be forgotten. May he rest in peace. Romans 15:33.

For a life well spent, bravo. Godspeed.

I remember collecting moths in MACKINAW CITY in the forties for his collection and delivering milk to their summer cottage on Wawatam beach.

Ed was a steadfaxt supporter of basic biological investigations, and produced many publications helpful to others' investigations. He was a fine and loyal friend and supporter of the best of the U of M. Ed will be missed by his many colleagues. -Tom Moore

Dr Voss was an incredible teacher, and a man of astounding energy. I have wonderful memories of our "Field Botany of Northern Michigan" class. There would be 10 or so college students, all in grubby clothes, hats and bug spray, desperately trying to keep up with Ed on a blazing summer day. And he'd be striding along in dress pants, and neat short-sleeved button-down shirt, and no hat, looking completely at ease. I was 19, and Dr Voss was in his 60s. We learned about individual plant species, plant communities, ecology, glacial history, botanists of the past....but mostly, we learned to love plants. Thank you, Dr. Voss, wherever you are.

Valiant in endeavor, in accomplishment, in faith, in friendship.

Jim Toy

I met Dr. Voss at a meeting of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts & Letters several years ago. He was feted for attending about 50 years or so without fail. I walked up, a total stranger, and shook his hand not for that, but for the great 3-volume Michigan Flora that I use so often in my work.

I didn't know him personally, but I love his books on Michigan plants.