Wayne V. Woody

Wayne V. Woody was born on Wednesday, June 24, 1931, in Salina, Kansas. He was the son of Clayton and Viola (Hinchman) Woody. Wayne grew up in Barnard, Kansas on the Woody Hereford Ranch. He and his family lived in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Peoria, Illinois, Sioux City, Iowa and Springfield, Illinois, prior to retiring to Baldwin City, Kansas in 1986, where he made his home until his death on Tuesday, December 20, 2011, at the age of eighty years. Wayne graduated from Barnard (Kansas) High School with the class of 1948 where he played baseball. He enrolled in the University of Kansas on a baseball scholarship, was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, ROTC and graduated with a degree in history. Following graduation, he served in the United States Navy from July 9, 1954 to July 4, 1956. He served in the Korean War as a Chief Supply Officer, receiving the American Defense Service Medal and China Service Medal. Wayne met Mary Ellen Landrum in Coronado, California. They were united in marriage on February 11, 1956, in Hutchinson, Kansas and were blessed with 56 years of marriage. Wayne was a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) for the Equitable Life Assurance Society where he worked for over 30 years. He was an Agency Manager and an Officer of the Company. Over the years, Wayne served in the Masons as well as the Shriners. Wayne’s rural upbringing was reflected in almost all of his hobbies; walleye fishing, chicken fighting and he was an avid hunter. He also loved to golf. Wayne had recently spent two weekends with his lifelong friend, George Murray, chasing coyotes across Kansas pastures. He was a sports fan and loved his Kansas Jayhawks, Chicago Bears and his World Champion St. Louis Cardinals. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, Clayton and Viola Woody; his sister, Virginia Montgomery; and his son, Stephen. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen of their home; his daughter, Cathy Creviston of Wellsville, Kansas; his three sons, Michael Woody and his wife, Susan, of Des Moines, Iowa, Richard Woody and his wife, Mary, of Overland Park, Kansas, and David Woody and Erika Edgar of Ottawa, Kansas; plus eight adoring grandchildren. Memorial Services will be held from the Dengel & Son Mortuary in Ottawa at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, December 23, 2011. Inurnment Services will be held at a later date at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Baldwin City, Kansas. The family suggests memorial contributions to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067.