Woodroe Petty

Woodroe Petty, of Taft, passed away on Monday, May 3, 2010, at the age of 95. He was born in Hightower, Liberty County, Texas on January 8, 1915. He grew up to high School age in Brown County, Brownwood, Texas, attended Refugio High School and graduated in 1934 from Sinton High School. He attended Texas A & I, lettered in football, basketball and track and later was awarded A & I’s Hall of Fame in Athletics.

He coached Woodsboro High School’s first football team for two years, then moved on to Floresville and coached one year before entering the Navy in 1942, serving three and a half years. He received the Navy Commendation for rescuing four Columbian, South American men during a storm at sea.

After the war, he returned to coaching one year at Freer before moving to Taft and coached for ten years winning four District Championships, two Bi-District and one Regional Championships, all in football.

In 1941 Woody married Anne Kennedy and had one daughter, Gail. Woody became an Elementary Principal in 1957 and continued in that capacity for twenty-eight years in Taft. During that time South Elementary became Woodroe Petty Elementary (1981).

Woody was awarded the Chamber of Commerce Humanitarian Award in 1978 and the Kiwanis Citizen of the Year Award in 1979. In recent years, he was honored with a luncheon by the Coastal Bend Coaches Association. He retired as a School Administrator in 1985. His wife, Anne, died from cancer in September, 1991, after having fifty- one years together.

Survivors include one daughter, Gail Petty of Port Lavaca, Texas; one sister, Virginia Jordon of Ohio; two grandsons, Brandon (Tara) and Justin (Cyndi) Shillings all of Houston, Texas; one great- granddaughter, Kirstyn, and one great- grandson, Cadoc.

Visitation will be Wednesday, May 5, 2010, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Colonial Funeral Home. Memorial Services will be at First United Methodist Church, Taft, at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, May 6, 2010. Services are entrusted to Colonial Funeral Home, Taft.