Victor Eugene Woodard

Vic was born on January 9, 1934 at the Woodard family farmhouse in Ridgebury Township, Bradford County, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Troy High School in Troy, Pennsylvania, in 1952. While attending Berrytown Methodist Church, Vic met Margery Lou Inman, who he married on September 25, 1953.

After graduating from high school, Vic ran the family dairy farm in partnership with his father, Harold C. Woodard. He also worked as the substitute mail carrier for several years out of the Wellsburg, New York Post Office. In 1963, Vic was appointed to the permanent mail carrier position in Wellsburg. This was a happy day for Vic and Marge, having landed a job with full benefits and weekends off. Vic later moved to the Gillett, Pennsylvania Post Office following a realignment of the local delivery routes. Vic was dedicated to his mission of delivering mail on time and was not deterred by bad weather, including blizzards. He once hit a snowplow head-on in a white-out on a narrow back road. Thankfully it was a low-speed impact so he escaped with only a bump on his head.

Shortly after Vic moved into the full-time mail carrier position the dairy farm was sold. Vic and Marge built a new home in Bentley Creek on some land from a portion of the family farm that was not sold with the larger dairy farm. At this point Vic had become a “hobby” farmer with 15-20 beef cows in the pasture, a maple syrup operation and a very large garden.

Vic was a long-time member of the Berrytown Wesleyan Methodist Church serving as treasurer for many years. He also was a member of the Ridegbury Township Volunteer Fire Company. Vic was known as a hard-working family man, with an easy-going personality and he was quick to offer a helping hand to a neighbor in need.

After Vic’s retirement in 1994, Vic and Marge moved to Kerrville, Texas to be closer to two of their sons (Rodney and Bruce) and to get some relief from the northern Pennsylvania winters. In 2008, Vic and Marge packed up again and moved west a few hours to Midland, Texas to be even closer to family and the activities of their Texas grandchildren.

Vic is survived by his loving wife of 71 years, Marge; son Rodney (Julie) of Midland, Texas; son Lon (Lisa) of Charlotte, North Carolina; son Bruce (Mary) of Midland, Texas; sister Charlotte Carpenter (Victor) of Savannah Georgia; and brother Dean (Ruth) of Onsted, Michigan. He will be greatly missed by his five grandchildren: Sarah Woodard, Kelton Woodard, Eric Woodard (Keighley), Megan Bains (Brensen) and Seth Woodard. He also will be missed by his great-grandson: Bo Bains, as well as his many nieces and nephews and their families.

Vic was preceded in death by his parents, Harold C. and Mary Lytle Woodard; and his brother, Melvin R. Woodard.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Vic's memory may be made to Bynam School, 5100 Avalon Dr, Midland, TX 79707, www.bynumschool.org; and Meals on Wheels, 3301 Sinclair Ave, Midland, TX 79701, www.seniorlifemidland.org.