Major Paul Clarke Voelke
Major Paul Clarke Voelke of Monroe was killed Friday, June 22, 2012, in Mazari-Sharif, Afghanistan. He was 36.
Paul was born June 15, 1976, in Manhasset to Lorraine and Erich Voelke.
A 1994 graduate of Monroe-Woodbury High School, Major Voelke attended the United States Military Academy at West Point graduating in 1998 with a bachelors degree in European History and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army.
Major Voelke served 14 years as an infantry officer. Over the course of his career, he earned several honors and awards, including the Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster and the Joint Service Commendation Medal.
As a captain, he was selected for the Joint Chief of Staffs Internship where he earned his graduate degree from Georgetown University with a masters of policy management in 2007.
Major Voelke was a veteran of Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo as well as four tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He last served as the executive officer for 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia.
Paul is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 12 years, the former Traci Maultasch, also of Monroe, and his two sons, Andrew (AJ) 8, and Benjamin, 6. He is also survived by his mother and father Lorraine and Richard Griffenkranz, grandmother Virginia Carolan, brothers Christopher Voelke and Thomas Griffenkranz, sister Christine Griffenkranz Macleary, mother- in-law Bonnie Maultasch, sister-in-law Shannon Voelke, brothers-in-law Adam Maultasch and Michael Macleary, and many loving aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Paul is preceded in death by his father Erich Voelke and his father-in-law David Maultasch
A wake was scheduled to be held in Major Voelkes honor Thursday, July 5, at Smith, Seaman & Quackenbush, Inc. Funeral Home, 117 Maple Ave., Monroe, from 4 to 8 p.m.
A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 6, at Chapel of The Most Holy Trinity, 699 Washington Road, West Point. A burial will follow in West Point Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the Voelke family requests donations be sent to the following address: Paul Voelke Memorial Fund, Bryan Bank & Trust, P.O. Box 1299, Richmond Hill, GA 31324.
Funeral arrangements have been made by Smith, Seaman & Quackenbush, Inc. Funeral Home. For additional information, call 845-782-8185 or visit online at www.ssqfuneralhome.com.