Thomas Allen Votra

Thomas "Tom" Allen Votra, age 59, passed away peacefully on Wednesday August 7th surrounded by family. Tom was born February 17, 1965 in Wabash, Indiana to Cecil Votra and Dolores (Neher) Votra. He moved to Missouri as a kid and spent uncountable hours hunting, fishing, reading, climbing trees, and practicing his survival skills like Robinson Crusoe and Daniel Boone. He told lots of stories about his time in the woods and treasured those independent times.
He graduated from Buffalo high school in 1983 and spent his first summer on a harvest crew traveling the upper Midwest. Tom worked various trades that allowed him to live in a few different states and had some amazing experiences before he settled back in Missouri. Several years ago he became a licensed auctioneer and ran a small company until moving to Jefferson City in 2012 so his wife could pursue her dreams. He always supported the dreams of his kids as well. He also bought and sold thousands of books over his lifetime, amassing an incredible collection of vintage fiction and sci-fi books and magazines. He loved being self-employed and handled many unique vintage and antique treasures. Working from home allowed him to spend a lot of time with his kids and always be there for them. He loved fishing, auctions and spending time with his family.
He is survived by his wife Dawne, daughter Amanda Weber and husband Kevin, son Garrett Dean, twin granddaughters Siena and Capri Weber, his favorite aunt and uncle Mike and Jane Frieden, bonus daughters Ashley Dolezal and Heather Rhodes, sister Dawn Cash and husband Eddie, nephews Bryant Doss, Travis Christianson, Nicholas Cash, nieces Ashlynn Doss and Chelsea Lipe, mother-in-law Sue Doss, and brother-in-law Bryant Doss, along with many cousins and other family. A private celebration of life will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, contributions to any of the following charities serving blind and visually
impaired individuals are appreciated: Seva Foundation, Helen Keller International,
Foundation Fighting Blindness, and the National Federation of the Blind.