Claude (Woody) A. Woodward, 94 of Boynton Beach, Florida, passed away Friday, May 10, 2024, at the Delray Medical Center Hospice Unit after battling dementia for three years.
Woody was born August 29, 1929, in Gouverneur, New York, son of Claude R. and Alice Austin Woodward. He grew up in Utica, New York, graduating in 1947 from Utica Free Academy. He attended Utica College of Syracuse University. Woody married Jacqueline N. Whiteman, a loving marriage of 57 years. She died in 2009. In 2011, he married Laurita Nicolo. They lived in Amesbury, Massachusetts, and enjoyed traveling to the Grand Canyon in 2011 and the National parks in Utah in 2019. They also enjoyed visiting family and friends in New York and Florida. In 2016, they moved to Boynton Beach.
He was a member of the U.S. Army Ready Reserve from 1950 until 1958, serving in the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Corps.
Woody was a retired IBM executive who subsequently moved on to GTE Telecommunications Services as a director of business development before making his retirement permanent at 70.
He led a remarkable, full life. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. He loved people and was always smiling. He became a HAM radio operator in 1947 at the same time his dad did. This was a hobby he loved and for years had a scheduled radio visit every Sunday with his dad and his cousin. He loved fishing and hunting when he was young, and golf, bowling, competitive tennis, astronomy, baseball and music.
He played baseball in high school and college, and played on the same team as his father in a semi-professional league. He was proud of this and was so happy when the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, accepted into its unique collection his father’s 1915 catcher's equipment.
His biggest love was music, especially jazz. He played the guitar and piano and would play for whomever would listen. He loved performing at parties. He and his wife made many friends at the Sahara Jazz Club in Methuen, Massachusetts.
He is survived by his loving wife Laurita; his children Donna Woodward, Oxnard, California, and Jeffrey (Diane) Woodward, Ipswich, Massachusetts; his grandchildren Trevor Woodward and Ashley Woodward; his stepdaughter Amy Nicolo (Ian Jones), Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida; his step-grandchildren Cosima and Diego; his stepson Matthew Nicolo (Paula), Anchorage, Alaska; and his sister Marcia Woodward Gaffney, Sackets Harbor, New York. He also leaves many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife Jacqueline W. Woodward, his brother William A. Woodward, his sister-in-law Elizabeth Woodward and his brother-in-law John D. Gaffney.
Woody was a very sweet and kind man who touched many lives with his love.
Remembrances in Claude A. Woodward’s name may be made to Trustbridge of Palm Beach County, 5300 East Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33407. Trustbridge.com
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