William J Woody

Lieutenant William Jethro Woody, Sr., 72, retired from the Tennessee Highway Patrol and resident of the Santa Fe Community, died Saturday, October 11, 2008 at Maury Regional Hospital. Masonic rites will be Monday at 7:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols. Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at Oakes & Nichols with Rev. James Edwards officiating. Burial will be in the Santa Fe Cemetery with the Tennessee Highway Patrol Honor Guard providing escort and honors at graveside. The family will visit with friends Sunday and Monday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Notes of sympathy may be sent to www.oakesandnichols.com. Born and reared in the Santa Fe Community in Maury County, he was the son of the late Howard Woody and Jessie Sowell Woody and a 1954 graduate of Santa Fe High School. He served in the U. S. Army Military Police at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. During his 37 years service in the Tennessee Highway Patrol, his assignments included security service for Governor Ray Blanton. A 32nd degree Mason, he was a member of the Centerville Masonic Lodge and Santa Fe Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Margaret Lee Parrish Woody of Santa Fe; a daughter, Debbie (Harold) Ferguson of Nashville; a son, Jeff (Diana) Woody of Knoxville; grandchildren, Blake Ferguson, Sarah Woody, and Jessica (Dan) Heath. He was preceded in death by four sisters, Jane Woody Wells, Frances Woody Lewis, Ruth Woody Jernigan, and Mildred Woody Riggin. Active pallbearers are Jackie Jernigan, Harold Ferguson, Darnell Cole, Dan Heath, Dave Warman, Michael Edwards, Curtis Ashby, Kevin Chapman, Ronnie King, and Billy McKennon. Honorary pallbearers include retired Troopers and officers of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Jerry Kemp, Gene Bollinger, Lynn Pitts, and John McCord.