Obituary for Russell Leroy Voorhees
(November 23, 1934 – September 15, 2015)

Russ Voorhees passed away Tuesday, September 15, 2015, at the Sherman Home Hospice in Phoenix Arizona. He spent his final hours with his four sons, daughters in law, and other close family members. He breathed his final breaths in the arms of his wife of nearly 58 years, Ruth Voorhees.

Russ was born to Leo and Winnie Voorhees in Hitchcock, South Dakota on November 23, 1934. During his youth, he became the youngest licensed ham radio operator in the nation. He maintained his interest in electronics throughout college and law school. In January of 1960, Russ joined Honeywell in Minneapolis as a patent attorney.

Russ leveraged his knowledge of new technologies when founding two companies listed on national stock exchanges (Pawnee Corporation and Energro) and various smaller firms. He also served on the boards of Datacard Corporation and other electronics companies. These enterprises created many jobs and provided the impetus for a lifelong interest in harnessing technology to build better cities.

Work with rural American redevelopment led to Russ’s nomination by Hubert Humphrey to be one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men in America in 1969. He received the award in Santa Monica, California, during a week when he had opportunities to refine his vision in dialog with fellow TOYM winners, including John D. Rockefeller IV, Jesse Jackson, and 7 other men focused on building a better tomorrow.

For more than 50 years, Russ sought to develop private enterprise solutions to build the “Great Society" through "Paradigm Model Cities" employing the latest technology. During the 1970s OPEC oil crisis, Russ was one of the early advocates of renewable clean energy solutions. Throughout the final years of his life, Russ attended conferences domestically and abroad to advocate use of hydrogen as the ultimate and unlimited clean solution to energy problems. He has shared this vision at www.chayahcity.org and www.globalhydrogen.org.

Russ is survived by his wife, Ruth Reutter Voorhees, Phoenix and four married sons. Tim lives in Mission Viejo, CA; Cleigh Ryan resides in Weatherford, TX; Jay maintains his home in Alamo, CA; and Chris keeps his primary residence in Phoenix, AZ. All four boys have taken their father’s entrepreneurial spirit to new levels while founding and building their own successful companies. Russ and Ruth have been very active in the lives of their 4 granddaughters and 8 grandsons. Russ's crowning achievement may have been his extraordinary "grandpa legacy." Russ was an exceptionally loving, patient and doting grandpa who greatly enriched the lives of all his grandkids.

Russ is also survived by one sister, Lyla Hirsch of Yankton, SD; and one brother, Merlin Voorhees of Onida, SD. Two older step-brothers (Don and George) and an older step-sister (Leota) preceded Russ in death.

For the last 15 years, Russ and Ruth have been active members of Calvin Orthodox Presbyterian Church (“Calvin OPC”) in Phoenix, AZ. Pastor Mike Babcock will officiate at the memorial service scheduled for early November in Phoenix. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be sent to Calvin OPC (for the building fund) or the EVIT Foundation (for clean energy research).