Richard (Dick) Edwin Woods was born August 29, 1930 to Harold and Lura Riggins Woods in Lincoln, Nebraska. He moved with his family to San Diego, California in 1937. He started attending East San Diego Christian Church with his brothers, Bob and Jerry, to play baseball. While there, he came to know Jesus as his Lord and savior through his future wife, Ruth’s influence and was baptized by Mr. Whipple in April 1946. He graduated from Hoover High School in 1950
He met Ruth Washburn at the East San Diego Christian Church and they were married by their pastor, Anor Emerson, on July 22, 1951. Dick attended Northwest Christian College in the early 1950’s preparing for the ministry. Work, school and family became too much and Dick and Ruth and their son, Gary, headed back to San Diego. Dick got a job as an appliance repairman at Sears Roebuck and Company. He enjoyed all of his life fixing things. His specialty was sewing machines.
Dick served as Youth Director at both Chula Visa Christian Church and East San Diego Christian Church. He and Ruth enjoyed working and investing in young people for many years. He also served as an Elder at East San Diego Christian Church.
In 1967, Dick and Ruth moved their family of five children back to Eugene, Oregon to complete his degree from Northwest Christian College in 1969. He was ordained into the ministry at East San Diego Christian Church on June 15, 1969.
He Served Churches in: Springfield, Oregon; Selma, California; El Cajon, California; Bloomington, Indiana; La Plata, Missouri; Prescott, Arizona (part-time in retirement). After living 5 years in Arizona they moved back to La Plata, MO and in July 2000 served as Interim pastor at First Christian Church, Kirksville, MO.
Dick has suffered with dementia for the last several years, and had been living at Morningstar Memory Care for the past 21 months. He passed away peacefully on Sunday morning, September 12, 2021 at 91 years of age. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Ruth; his five children, Gary (Judy) of King City, OR, Mark (Theresa) of Edgewood, New Mexico, Cory (Margery), of Oviedo, Spain, John (Janet) of Sherwood, Oregon and Lori Smucker (Lonnie) of Portland, Oregon. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren: Kendra, Harmony, Jack, Jason, Brittany, Jeremiah, Jonathan, Alisha, Spencer and Hannah; and 10 great grandchildren. His sister, Carol Smith, of San Diego, California also survives him.
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