Dr. Wayne Joseph Voter

Dr. Wayne Joseph “Wayne J” Voter, age 89, retired Army Master Sergeant, passed away peacefully at 8:45 p.m. on Sunday, August 6, 2023, surrounded by family and covered in prayers and love.  A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 11, 2023 in the Chapel of McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory with Dr. Rev. Buddy Cooper officiating.  The family will receive friends preceding the service at 1:00 p.m. at the funeral home, located at 3874 Gentian Blvd., Columbus, GA 31907.  Interment will be held following the service at Parkhill Cemetery with full Military Honors.

Wayne was born March 22, 1934 in LaCrosse, WI, to the late John Edward Voter and Bernice Beatrice Rohde Voter.  He was the fifth child in a family of ten active children.  He spent his childhood hunting, fishing, exploring, and getting into mischief in the woods and land around his home.  He was very close to his siblings, especially his brothers, who often issued challenges to and played tricks on each other.  Once, when he was young, his brother Fred dared Wayne to careen blindfolded down a snowy hill on their sled.  After crashing into a tree, Wayne ran home to complain to his mother, who took the story in stride:  “Fred made me crash into a tree,” he wailed.  “Well,” she said, “you ninny.  What did you do that for?”  Many years later, another challenge issued from his brother John, the eldest of the family, led Wayne to begin one of the greatest adventures of his life.  Upon John’s returning from basic training, Wayne asked his brother what the Army was like.  “I don’t think you can handle it,” John replied.  Wayne took that statement as a challenge, and in 1950, he enlisted in the United States Army, claiming to be 18 years old when he was actually 16.

After completing basic training at the 10th Mountain Division, Ft. Riley, KS, he attended Airborne/glider School.   There he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, 505th Air.  At the outbreak of the Korean War, he was assigned to the 5th Regimental Combat Team (RCT).  He landed with the 5th at Pusan on July 31, 1950.  On the line in Korea, he saw action as a rifleman with Fox Company (Co. F) through the Pusan Perimeter, Task Force Kean, Naktong Bulge, Wagwan, Pusan Breakout, and the capture of P’Yong Yang and Kunu-ri.  At Heartbreak Ridge, Hill 520, after the death of Co. F’s platoon leader, Wayne assumed leadership and successfully called in directed suppressive fire, regaining control of the hill from the North Koreans and Chinese forces.  Later, on Hill 662, he was seriously wounded by Chinese mortar fire and evacuated back through Japan to the US.  This event would earn his first Purple Heart.

Wayne was released from the hospital in 1951.  He rejoined the 505th Airborne Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division.  After various assignments, including the 11th Airborne Div. and the 24th Div. in Germany, where he spent three years, he once again found himself as an Infantry Sergeant in combat with the 505th Airborne in the Dominican Republic.  When asked about the fighting there, Wayne brushed it off, saying that it “wasn’t that bad.”

Returning to the US, he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Department at Ft. Bragg (now Ft. Liberty), then to the US Army Marksmanship Unit at Ft. Benning (now Ft. Moore), GA.  In 1967, he entered combat again in Vietnam with LRRP Unit (52nd Infantry), where he was wounded by grenade fire on Operation Shenandoah II, Binh Duong Province.  He was evacuated to the 93rd Evac Hospital in Long Binh.  This event earned his second Purple Heart.  He was reassigned to Ft. Benning in 1969, then returned to Vietnam as an advisor to the ARVN Army.  After one year as an Infantry Advisor, he returned to Ft. Benning and became 1st Sergeant of the Marksmanship Training Unit.  In 1975, he retired with over 25 years of service to his country.

Wayne has received over 25 medals, including the Silver Star and Bronze Star (for gallantry in action and distinguished heroism in combat, respectively), Legion of Merit, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Purple Heart (two), Combat Infantryman’s Badge (two), 11 major Campaign Stars, special marksmanship awards of Excellence in Competition Badge (for rifle), President’s Hundred Tab (awarded for top marksmanship skill), membership in the NATO Distinguished Marksmanship Program, LeClere, Glider Badge, Master Parachute Badge, Pathfinder Badge and numerous other awards.  As a marksman, he set several national records, and in 1954, he was named Soldier of the Year, 82nd Airborne Division.

After retiring from the US Army, he entered college in 1976, earning an Associate of Arts Degree from Chattahoochee Valley State Community College (1978), a Bachelor of Science from Troy State University (1979 and 1981), a Master of Science in Personnel Management from Troy State University (1983), and a Doctor of Philosophy from Pacific Western University (1991).  Dr. Voter, as his students knew him, was a well-liked and respected tenured professor, the kind of educator who distributed his home phone number to students in case personal challenges or requests for deadline extensions arose.  He retired from his full-time faculty position in 1998 and worked as an adjunct professor until his full retirement in 2005.  In his spare time, Wayne read voraciously about history and could accurately recount historical events in great detail from memory.  His bookshelves overflow, and in each book, he wrote by hand the date he received the book and when he read it.

Wayne is survived by his wife of 53 years, Saundra (née Robbins).  The moment she saw him at Ft. Benning, she told her friend, “I’m going to marry that man.”  She did, and their love for and dedication to each other was evident to everyone who knew them throughout their lifetime together.  In addition, Wayne was a loving and dedicated father to his blended family:  his children Terry Voter (preceded in death), Jamie Herbert (spouse Tom), Cliff Voter, and Timothy Voter, whose mother, Betty Jo Dooley, preceded Wayne in death, and his children Scarlett Hollingsworth (spouse Ed) and Valerie Bos (spouse Brian), whose mother is Saundra.

Wayne was a proud veteran who always wore his cap indicating his service in Korea and Vietnam.  Like many veterans, he often met other retired servicemen for coffee and breakfast at local restaurants where he was friendly, learning each employee’s name and greeting everyone upon entering.  In fact, for years when he walked into his favorite lunch spot – Mama Goldberg’s – everyone on staff would yell in unison, “Hi, Dr. Voter!”  When strangers stopped to thank him for his service, he was gracious and humble.  Sometimes he even accepted their offers to buy him lunch or a coffee, but he always thanked them as well for taking the time to speak with him.

Wayne possessed a generous spirit and showed it through his actions.  He was an active member of Living Grace United Methodist Church by attending services consistently, participating in the men’s group, being an honored veteran, and helping to send out anniversary cards to couples within the church.  He was also a serious and knowledgeable coin and stamp collector.  One of his frequent acts of love was to collect, preserve, and meticulously label coins and stamps, which he would then give to his friends and family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Surviving grandchildren include Tanya Robledo, Kristina Clark, Matthew Voter, Megan Herbert-M’Sadoques, Wesley Hollingsworth, Jillian Hollingsworth, Sawyer Hollingsworth, Nicholas Bos, Emily Bos, and Christopher Bos.  Great-grandchildren include Tristan Clark, Aiden Clark, Ciera Jaramillo, Haley Robledo, Jordan Jaramillo, McKenna Robledo, Chloe Jaramillo, Sophie M’Sadoques, Sullivan M’Sadoques, and Theo M’Sadoques.  Each set of grandchildren and great-grandchildren had a different title for their beloved grandfather:  to the Bos, Robledo, and Jaramillo grandchildren and great-grandchildren, he was Papaw; to the Hollingsworth grandchildren, he was Pawpaw; and to the M’Sadoques grandchildren and great-grandchildren, he was Popple.  Regardless of their name for him, to each child he was special – the heroic war veteran who also cracked jokes and remembered every birthday and holiday.  He loved to give his grandchildren and great-grandchildren cash, specifically ones since a stack of ten one-dollar bills was more exciting to the children than a single bill.  For these reasons, the employees at his local bank knew him well.

Wayne Voter lived a life full of adventure, demonstrated bravery in the face of danger, and displayed steadfast loyalty to his family.  He served his country with honor and will be missed more than words can express.  The family requests that you please sign the tribute page and include any memories that you have and wish to share of Wayne, as these will be collected and treasured by the family.  Flowers will be accepted or those wishing to may contribute in his honor to Living Grace United Methodist Church.