Karen Kay Woods, 71, passed away peacefully of natural causes at her home in Big Lake, Alaska, on June 25, 2025. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, friend, and unapologetic adventurer whose light, laughter, and spirit touched everyone she met.
She was preceded in death by: Her parents, Ardis Robert Briscoe &, Agnes Jewel (Johnson) Briscoe, Sister, Gladys Ann Blair, Her first husband, Allan Freeman (1979), Her husband and soulmate, Frank H. Woods (2021)
She is survived by her sons: Philip (Nikki) Johnson, Anthony (Diane) Freeman, and Jonathan (Christy) Freeman. Granddaughters: Pyper J. Johnson, Rylee G. Johnson, Kristina Freeman (Amanda Ellis), Lexi A. (Austin) Franklin, Devan A. (Arick) Tanner, Satin L. Wilkerson, and Skylynn (Kimberly) Parker. Grandsons: Dalton A. Freeman, Wyatt B. Johnson, and Ryder D. Johnson
Great-grandchildren: Divina Tanner, Dante Tanner La’Kiah Wilkerson, BreLynn Parker, MadiLynn Parker, Jace Henry, Eliza Kay Henry, and Baby Franklin still on the way
As well as a host of nieces, nephews, beloved chosen family, and friends
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Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Kay moved to West Point as a young child and spent her early years there. As a young woman, she danced her way through local competitions as a semi-professional roller skate dancer—graceful, spirited, and always in motion, a theme that carried through her life.
Kay dedicated much of her professional career to supporting families through Head Start and Migrant Head Start programs in North Alabama. She had a true servant’s heart and poured her energy into helping children and parents thrive.
In 1999, Kay moved to Washington to be with Frank H. “Sam” Woods, the man she described as her soulmate. The two shared a deeply loving marriage filled with laughter, road trips, and countless celebrations. They returned to West Point in 2007 and remained there until Sam’s passing in 2021. After his death, Kay relocated to Alaska to live with her youngest son and his family—surrounded by moose, mountains, snow, and everything wild and free. She often joked that she had become a mountain woman in the end.
Kay had a deep love for animals—except maybe snakes—and a passion for travel. She explored nearly every state in the U.S., with only Hawai’i left on her list. Her favorite destinations included the Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, and, ultimately, Alaska.
She was the life of every party and made every holiday an event. Halloween and the Fourth of July were her favorites, and her open-door policy meant anyone who showed up was welcomed like family. A true social butterfly, Kay’s home was often a weekend-long gathering place full of music, stories, and laughter.
She loved water—whether swimming, boating, or camping near it—and found peace in nature. She was a woman of strong opinions, unafraid to speak her mind, yet her faith remained steady throughout the many seasons of her life. And above all else, her grandchildren were the meaning she carried through everything.
By far her favorite thing about Alaska was hearing someone in the house say, “The lights are out!” Knowing this meant she would once again get to step out and immerse herself in the beauty of the Northern Lights over her home.
She left this world just as she would’ve liked- keeping us all up past our bedtimes, surrounded by her family, and holding the hands of her child and grandchild- she sailed off into the aurora under the midnight sun.
A memorial service will be held at Moss Service Funeral Home with burial to follow at Ebenezer Baptist Church Cemetery in West Point (at a later date). In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Kay’s honor to the Alaska SeaLife Center.
Donation Link for Alaska SeaLife Center: https://gofund.me/53b61dba
Poem
THE WORDS ON A TOMBSTONE
Do practical things if you want your tombstone to read,
“They were practical.”
Do what makes sense if you think it should say,
“Their life made sense.”
Do what the world wants if you believe in the epitaph,
“They did what the world wanted them to do.”
But if you want it to read,
“They lived every second they were given
