Thea Burnett Woodliff

If one were to seek out a woman characterized by abundant grace, beauty and poise, they could do no better than Thea Woodliff, the personification of a genteel southern lady. Thea was born the 29th of September 1928 in Birmingham, Alabama and later attended Phillips High School in Birmingham. She then attended Brenau College where she was a member of the Tri-Delta sorority. We celebrate this past Thursday morning as our beloved Thea and her husband Guy - married for 62 years - are now reunited in heaven in the presence of their Lord and Savior.

Guy’s lengthy career in the medical equipment business afforded the family to live throughout the United States from Gadsden to Santa Barbara, California, to Kansas City, to Yardley, Pennsylvania, and Scituate, Massachusetts, before returning to Gadsden. Each time Thea relocated to a new city, she sought out some distinct opportunity to serve after setting up a new home. While in Massachusetts, Thea became a docent at the historic Boston Statehouse. In Santa Barbara, she volunteered at both the Cottage Hospital and the museum. In 1990 when they returned to Gadsden, she served as event chairwoman for the Center for Cultural Arts and President of the Cultural Arts League. Thea was one of the founders of Bal D’Or at the Gadsden Country Club and volunteered many years for their Mystery Ball. She delivered meals for MANNA, and took on numerous projects for the Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter. All the while, they traveled the world through Asia, Europe with a great love for Thailand. True to form, she vacationed last July in Hawaii with her daughter-in-law and granddaughter.

Thea was an accomplished pianist, tennis player, avid reader, bridge player, and a great lover of the arts and museums. However, her greatest love was for her Heavenly Father, while her greatest accomplishment was the relentless care and nurturing of her family. Her ever-present devotion to her husband and children was always evident, and her warm hospitality extended to anyone with whom she crossed paths was truly something to behold. Thea’s small physique was highly deceptive for she was unshakeable in times of trouble and tenacious in her approach to love and life.

Precisely like her husband who preceded her, Thea passed quietly at home spending her final weekend surrounded by family with four generations present. Thea is survived by her daughter Kathi Rhodes and Tom, son Guy Woodliff IV and Cile, five grandchildren: Heather, Elizabeth, Katie, Parker, and Guy Woodliff V; six great grandchildren: Rosemary Thea, Ella, Isla, Jacob, Joshua, and Jedediah; sister-in-law Jean Burnett, and many nieces and nephews. We now hold fast to the promise of the 23rd Psalm – Thea dwells in the house of the Lord forever!

A memorial service will be held at 11:30 on March 6th at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Gadsden. The family respectfully requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Holy Comforter, St. Jude’s, or Manna.

Collier-Butler Funeral and Cremation Services is in charge.