Herbert Clifford Woodward

Herbert Clifford “Woody” Woodward of Raleigh, NC died on October 28, 2021 at the age of 75. Woody was born on February 19, 1946 in Winchendon, MA. He is the son of the late Herbert Elmer Woodward and Alice Ruth Woodward.

Woody is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jeanette Caroll Woodward, his brother Jimmie Allen (and Robin) Woodward of Bella Vista, Arkansas, his sister R. Gayle (and David) Snyder of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, his brother, David deJ Woodward of Honea Path, South Carolina, his son, Michael Scott (and Julia) Woodward of Raleigh, North Carolina, his grandsons Graham Tennyson Woodward and Marshall Emerson Woodward, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Woody graduated from Grimsley High School in Greensboro, NC. He also completed some college coursework through the University of Maryland’s extension program in Bitburg, Germany.

Following high school, Woody served in U.S. Army Special Forces including two tours in Vietnam. After leaving the military, he worked as an instructor at the North Carolina Outward Bound School. Woody then moved to Bitburg, Germany where he started an outdoor education program for military dependents known as Project Bold. One year later, the program transitioned to Berchtesgaden, Germany and continued for another 33 years.

After four years in Germany, Woody and his family relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he developed and ran an outdoor adventure treatment modality for the McLeod Addictive Disease Center. Woody founded Charlotte Outdoor Adventure Center, a business he ran for a number of years. Woody then took a position as the Director of Park and Recreation at Long Beach on Oak Island, NC. Woody transitioned back to Charlotte and worked for the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department for 16 years until his retirement.

During retirement, Woody was an active volunteer in his community. He was a member on the Open Space and Parks Advisory Committee and Stonebridge HOA and served on the Board of Bridge II Sports. Woody also volunteered for Outward Bound and was especially involved and passionate about Outward Bound’s Veteran’s programs.

Woody’s true passion was spending time with his wife, traveling to see friends in Washington State, New England, and Italy, watching his son play hockey weekly in an adult beer league, ordering fun gadgets from Amazon Prime, and doing anything involving his grandsons.

A memorial service will be held at Soapstone United Methodist Church, 12837 Norwood Road, Raleigh, NC 27613 on Saturday, November 20 at 1:00pm. A graveside service will be held at approximately 3:30pm in Raleigh Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, please direct all donations in Woody’s name to the North Carolina Outward Bound School. Please specify the donation is to be used for Veteran’s programs. Donations can be mailed to NCOBS 2582 Riceville Road, Asheville, NC 28805 or made online at https://www.ncobs.org/donate.

In accordance with current Wake County, NC COVID-19 guidelines, the church and funeral home request that everyone in attendance wear a mask.