Jerrold Richard Voss, who served the Knowlton School of Architecture for 26 years, including as director from 1981 to 1997, died of cancer at his home Nov. 20, 2007.
Voss, a Worthington, Ohio, resident, graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor‘s degree in architecture and from Harvard University with a master‘s and a doctoral degree in city planning. He then was an assistant professor at the University of California, associate professor at the University of Illinois and associate professor at Harvard University. He joined Ohio State as a professor in 1971, later serving as chairman of the Department of City and Regional Planning until 1981, when he became director of the School of Architecture.
William A. “Bud” Baeslack, III, dean of the College of Engineering, says Voss was instrumental in integrating Knowlton‘s three sections: architecture, landscape architecture, and city and regional planning.
“Jerry‘s efforts to improve the school extended from the university level to the state and national level,” says Baeslack, crediting Voss‘ foresight to his international service with the United Nations. “His global perspective led him to understand the necessity of keeping the school connected to local and state government.”
“Jerry was decisive and passionate in all that he did, and there was no one who was more committed to the School of Architecture. It was Jerry in 1994 who had the vision, tenacity, rigor and patience to orchestrate a transformational gift from Dutch Knowlton and matching funds from the State to make it happen,” says Robert Livesey, professor and past Knowlton director, referring to the $16 million in funding from Austin “Dutch” Knowlton, ARCH ‘29, that supported the new Knowlton School of Architecture building. “Jerry always took time to consider his options, but once you had his trust, he was a huge supporter. I will be forever grateful for all the support and affection that he gave me both as chair of the Department of Architecture and director of the School.”
“I had the privilege and pleasure of meeting him and (his wife) Jean (in November) and was stunned by his passion, clarity of purpose and insight relative to our school and local and world events,” says Knowlton director Ann Pendleton-Jullian. “His loss will be mitigated by the legacy that he has left at the Knowlton School.”
Donations in Voss‘ honor will be received by the Jerrold R. Voss Scholarship Fund (#647491) and/or the Jerrold R. Voss Director‘s Fund (#647497) at the Knowlton School of Architecture. Memories of Voss can be contributed online at knowlton.osu.edu/jerryvoss.
