Bob Robert Lewis Voris

Bob Robert Lewis Voris, longtime resident and owner of Bob Voris Realty

in Santa Cruz CA, for more than four decades, died February 13th 2008, following a massive stroke. He passed peacefully, under hospice care, at Sunrise Playa Vista, California. His two grandchildren, Kyle and Mercedes Leanza, were at his side.

Voris was born in Los Angeles in 1922 to the late James and Birdie Voris. The family, on route to Oregon during the Depression Days of the1930's, stopped off to camp by the shore in Aptos, fell in love with the beauty of Santa Cruz and decided to make it their home. Bob attended Santa Cruz High, Hartnell College and went on to graduate from the Merchant Marine Academy in Great Neck, New York. Voris served as an officer in the U.S. Navy during World War II, in the Pacific. Following his discharge, he married his beautiful wife Evelyn who predeceased him in 1983. Evelyn served as President of Omega Nu and President of the Miss California Pageant during the 1960s and 70's.

After the war, Bob took up the family real-estate business and built it into Bob Voris Realty, one of the top companies in Santa Cruz County. He was instrumental in the Pacific Avenue Mall Redevelopment Project and served as President of the Santa Cruz Board of Realtors®, was active in the Elks Club and other service organizations. Bob was also a winning golfer for many charity golf tournaments, continuing an avocation formed at twelve-years-of age when he and his brother Dick caddied at the Aptos Golf Course.

As the owner of Voris Development Company, Bob participated in building many projects including the Villa Granada Townhouses. He retired in 1989 to pursue other interests, including serving as Executive Producer for his granddaughter's first feature film, Jelly, which will premiere this year.

Robert left Santa Cruz in the late 1990's and moved to Santa Rosa, CA. Wine Country, and then to Foster City, where his grandson Kyle was serving as a police officer.

For the past five years he has been living once again, in a beautiful house by the sea, in Huntington Beach, CA."¦. the other Surf City

Voris is survived by his two daughters, Diane Chambers of Point Richmond and Sandra Leanza, and his beloved grandchildren, Kyle and Mercedes Leanza, all of Los Angeles, California. He is also survived by his twin brother Richard Dick Voris, famed pro-football coach, who resides with his wife Idelle in Springhill, Florida. His elder brother, Capt. Roy Butch Voris, founder of the Blue Angels, died in 2005.

At his request, no funeral will be held and his ashes are to be interred at Santa Cruz Memorial, Mariposa Gardens. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any remembrances in his name be sent to the Paralyzed Veterans of America www.pva.org.