Clifford J. Woods was born to Andrew and Rosalie (Davis) Woods in Seth, WV on February 23rd, 1934.
When his father changed jobs, he moved with his parents and younger brother, Paul, to Goldtown.
While a bout of whooping cough kept him from starting first grade on time, his love of learning and
reading started early. It was when the family began attending church in their new community, that
Clifford met a girl with dark brown curls who caught his attention and never let go.
He graduated from Ripley High School in 1952, a proud member of the FFA and Glee Club. His plans to
join the U.S. Navy were almost crushed due to his small stature and the minimum weight requirement.
With the help of a few gallons of water, several pounds of bananas, and a military doctor who admired
his drive and determination, he was able to make weight and earn his Cracker Jacks.
The dark-haired girl he met in Sunday School quickly became a fixture in Clifford's life. He married
Bernice (Fisher) on June 12th, 1954 in a modest courthouse ceremony, followed by mint chocolate chip
ice cream. They celebrated their marriage with a trip to Cincinnati, OH which included a stay at the Hotel
Sinton and a day at the zoo.
When they returned to Goldtown, Clifford found his orders waiting for him in the mailbox, letting him
know he was a few days late for a sea cruise upon the USS Yorktown. His Navy travels took him and
Bernice on adventures all over the country, including stints in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Illinois and
California.
During his career in the Navy, Clifford and Bernice welcomed four children, Mike, Cheryl (Faber), Trish
and Debbie (Schraitle). He retired from the Navy as an Aviation Boatswain's Mate Master Chief Petty
Officer in 1972. He then spent the next several years remodeling the family home with the help of his
wife and children. Clifford then began a second career as a pipefitter at Union Carbide, where he worked
for 13 years.
The family farm Clifford lovingly referred to as the "Woods 'Rock 'N Tree Farm", welcomed eight
grandchildren and five great-grandchildren over the course of forty years. Clifford was always looking to
entertain them with a new rope swing, zipline, tree fort, or some other silly activity his children would
swear they would have never gotten away with.
He was quite the bibliophile and volunteered with the Kenna Elementary Read-Aloud program for nearly
30 years. Over three decades, he read dozens of books to hundreds of school children of which his
favorite became "The Watson's Go to Birmingham - 1963" by Christopher Paul Curtis. Through his
mentorship in the schools and Goldtown community, countless children "adopted" Clifford as their
grandpa, as he showed them respect, dignity and the joy of being a kid. "Learn to Read, Read to Learn"
was a motto Clifford lived by and instilled in the students to which he read.
Clifford was a proud veteran, and a lover of his country, his community and his family. He never met a
stranger and was always ready to lend a hand to anyone who needed it. He had an affinity for animals,
especially cats, dogs and all the wildlife that dwelled in his backyard. He was a believer in "love at first
sight" and relished in the nearly 68 years he spent married to his childhood sweetheart, crediting love,
commitment, patience and understanding as the keys to a successful marriage.
Clifford is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Paul. He is survived by wife, Bernice Woods;
Son, Mike (Arlene) Woods/Ellicott City, MD; Cheryl (Herb) Faber/Goldtown, WV, Trish
Woods/Huntington, WV, Debbie (Rick) Schraitle/Ostrander, OH; Grandchildren: Adam (Vicky) Stover,
Eric (Alisha) Stover, Andrew (Brittany) Woods, Kelsey Woods, Brynne (Jeremy) Steigerwalt, Cole
Schraitle, Erin (Jason) Lambert, and Shannyn Kyle; five great-grandchildren: Nickolas, Gavan, Zane, Silas,
and Kamryn Stover. Also survived by his long-time best friend, David Anderson and his family.
In place of a traditional funeral service the Woods 'family will be hosting a Celebration of Life honoring
Clifford Woods, Sunday, March 13 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the new Kenna Elementary School, 275
Business Park Drive, Kenna, WV.
In honor of his many years as a Read-Aloud Volunteer, the Woods 'family invites you to bring a copy of
your favorite children's book to donate to the Kenna Elementary School Library, in memory of Mr. Woods.
In lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Kenna Elementary School Library Fund, 275 Business Park
Drive, Kenna, WV 25248, or the Disabled American Veterans at https://www.dav.org; 1-855-619-HERO
(Memorial/Honorary Gifts).