Obituary for Murray Howard Voth
Published in the TC Palm on Apr. 9,
2015. Murray Howard Voth was born in Fort Pierce, Florida in 1928 and
was raised by Banty and Emma Saunders. He attended the first gender
integrated class at the Florida State College for Women, now known as
Florida State University, graduating in 1950 with a degree in Zoology.
Following graduation he attended Seminary at The University of the South at
Suwannee, Tennessee and was ordained as an Episcopal Minister in 1954.
Murray Voth married Helen (nee McCorkle) Voth in 1953 and she shared his
life journey until 2010. He joined the Navy Reserve in 1959 and was called
to active duty in 1961 where he initially served in a variety of sea and
shore commands, deploying to the Mediterranean and Black Sea during some of
the hottest days of the cold war. He also supported the ecumenical needs of
the patients at Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland, California and new
recruits at the Boot Camp in Great Lakes, Illinois. In 1968, Chaplain Voth
served with the Marine Corps in Viet Nam during the Tet Offensive which was
the deadliest year of the Viet Nam war. He was injured during that period
and after convalescing, returned to combat where he was injured a second
time. He earned two Purple Hearts and recognition of valor with a Navy
Commendation medal with Combat V. He then served as Senior Chaplain at Key
West Naval Air Station and Naval training Center in Orlando. Following
promotion to Captain, he served as Senior Chaplain for the US Naval Academy
and then as the Senior Chaplain for the US Marine Corps. He completed his
illustrious career as the Fleet Chaplain for the US Pacific Fleet. Chaplain
Voth retired from the Navy in 1987. His numerous awards and commendations
include two Legion of Merits, two Meritorious service Medals, the Navy
Commendation with Combat V, two Purple Hearts and a number of service and
action medals. Following his Navy career, they decided to return to
Florida, settling in Don Pedro Island in 1983. He lost his beloved Helen in
2010. He is survived by his children, David Howard Voth, Cynthia Faith
Stone, Christian Lee Voth, and five grandchildren.
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