Thomas "Tommy" Woodruff

Thomas "Tom" Edward Woodruff, 75, of Liberty, MO, our beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away January 12, 2023, in Shawnee, KS after a long battle with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. He passed peacefully surrounded by family. Tom was born August 6, 1947, at Wesley Hospital in Wichita, KS to Claud Clinton and Doris Emma (Watts) Woodruff. After Doris passed away when Tom was seven years old, Claud remarried, and Edith Faye Cooper took over motherly duties for the remainder of his childhood. He graduated from Yates Center High School on May 29, 1965, and from Pittsburg State University in 1970 with a degree in printing technology. Tom was married to Judith (Judy) Mary Merewether Woodruff on February 7, 1970, at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Yates Center, Kansas. After Tom spent time in Monterrey, CA at Fort Ord with the National Guard, the couple bought a house in Prairie Village, KS where they welcomed son Matthew Bryant in 1974. A couple of years later they moved to Olathe, KS, where they spent 26 years, and ultimately to Liberty, MO in 2004. Tom enjoyed an exceptional career in the printing industry, becoming an outstanding mentor to many young printers. In his free time, he was almost always with Judy, the love of his life. As a co-worker from J2 Printing once said, “They are like peanut butter and jelly – they just go together.” They enjoyed spending much of their free time gardening and boating. Tom was an avid fisherman and water-skier, and also had a “need for speed” as evidenced by his many purchases of fast cars and bass boats throughout the years. Many of his summers were spent at the Red Indian Lodge on the Lake of the Woods, where he enjoyed boating, fishing and loon watching. In his later years, Tom spent a great deal of his free time with his two granddaughters and was a preeminent granddad or “Pee-Paw.” Tom almost never missed a softball game, volleyball match, cheer competition or concert and spent a small fortune on blizzards and smoothies after school. He also enjoyed spending time with and taking trips with lifelong friend Janie Massoth.

He is preceded in death by wife Judy, father Claud, mothers Doris and Edith, sister Patty Lou Parks and niece Pam Massey.

He is survived by his son Matthew (wife Amanda), granddaughters Faith and Madison, sisters Sandi Eggers (husband Henry) and Gail Foster (husband Ron) and nephews Sean Foster (wife Cheri), Trent Foster (wife Jodi), Garrett Eggers (wife Shilo) and nieces Shanna Eggers Frank (husband Phillip) and Brenda McMillan.

Visitation will begin at 2 p.m. followed by a celebration of life at 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 22 at White Chapel Funeral Home 6600 NE Antioch Rd Gladstone, MO 64119.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.dwnwhitechapel.com for the Woodruff family.