Donald Alan Voltz 73, died on July 4, 2026 at his home in Livingston, Texas surrounded by the family he loved. He was born on June 4, 1953, in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Cyril and Anna Hronek Voltz.  Don grew up in Grand Rapids and was a 1971 graduate of Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School.  He received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan in May of 1975.  Don loved MTU, his sisters and brothers of the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega (APO), MTU hockey, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

As a licensed professional engineer, Don spent 42 years in his chosen profession.  He worked for the Dow Chemical Company, Mustang Engineering, BP, British Gas, and Gulf States Engineering.  Don was active in multiple professional organizations, chairing various committees within the IEEE and ICC organizations.  He was recognized by these organizations with various awards for his volunteer contributions.  Don also authored and coauthored many technical papers relating to electrical engineering and electrical cable.  An important aspect of his engineering career was mentoring young engineers.  He liked nothing better than to teach these young men and women the practical side of engineering.  Don considered one of his greatest accomplishments the BP Atlantis project, in which he worked on during the design, construction, testing and commissioning of the Atlantis semisubmersible oil platform.  Don enjoyed working out of the country and meeting engineers, especially from Europe and Asia.

Don's love of extended family was cultivated by his mother.  He kept in touch with aunts, uncles and many cousins across the country after he and his wife moved to Texas.  In his later years, he made it a point to call everyone on their birthday and special holidays.  When his children were growing up, Don was involved in Kevin and Megan's swim teams, both neighborhood and high school.  He was an assistant Boy Scout leader for Kevin's scout troop, accompanying the boys on numerous camp-outs, summer camps and the highlight of any scout's life, a two week trip to the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.  Don and Kathleen's home was a welcome place for the neighborhood kids and school friends.  It seemed like every weekend there was an extra kid or two spending the night. Once his grandkids arrived, Don enjoyed playing with them, caring for them and watching them grow and develop.  His grandson, Wyatt gave him the nickname Papaw.

Don got the travel bug from his dad.  By age 12, he had visited every state in the lower 48 and most Canadian provinces.  This passion continued into adulthood, with Don planning trips like a professional travel agent.  He and the family went on numerous vacations visiting Hawaii, Europe, National Parks, and of course Michigan.  Once Don retired, he and Kathleen got into cruising and really explored the world with a six-week trip to Australia and New Zealand and a Trans-Atlantic cruise.  Don was always ready to go up until the last few months of his life.  Along with traveling, Don loved photography.  He was knowledgeable about cameras and lenses, but also was happy to pull out his iPhone for a quick snapshot.

Don's father worked as a U.S. mail clerk on the trains around the Great lakes, and that started Don's love of trains.   Don read about and collected model trains his entire life.  He visited every train museum he could find on his travels and financially supported multiple historic train organizations.  When in Europe or Japan, he was delighted in traveling by train. He was so happy to introduce Wyatt to his train collection and teach Wyatt how to operate the model trains.

Donald Voltz was preceded in death by his parents, Cyril and Anna Voltz, his half-brother Robert, many aunts and uncles, and several cousins.  He is survived by his wife Kathleen White Voltz, whom he married in 1980 in Bay City, Michigan.  Don is also survived by his son Kevin Voltz, daughter Megan Voltz Schneider and her husband, Karl, grandchildren Wyatt Voltz, Adeline Voltz, Freya Schneider, and Ingrid Schneider, half-sister Donna Buffin, brothers-in-law David White, Neal White and his wife Cathy, and several cousins in Michigan and California.

At Donald's request a funeral will not be held.  His cremains will be interred at the Klein Cemetery in Pinehurst, Texas.  A private Catholic Mass will be celebrated in Livingston for immediate family, at a later date.