John Burton Woody

View Funeral Webcast John Burton Woody, 87, retired rural mail carrier, life-long resident of the Santa Fe Community, and community activist, died Saturday, November 7, 2009 at Maury Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be conducted Monday at 2:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols with Rev. Sherry Ladd, Rev. Ronnie Pittinger, and Rev. Tommy Jobe officiating. Burial will follow in Santa Fe Cemetery with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post #19. The family will visit with friends Sunday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Santa Fe Cemetery Association, c/o Norman Harris, 3929 Sowell Hollow Road, Columbia 38401. Notes of sympathy may be sent to www.oakesandnichols.com. The Santa Fe native was the son of the late John Newton Woody and Sammie Pauline Pigg Woody. He was a 1941 graduate of Santa Fe High School and was honored as Valedictorian of his class. At the outset of World War II, he enlisted in the U. S. Army Air Corps and served in the India and Burma Theatres of Operation. Mr. Woody served as a U. S. Postal Service rural mail carrier for over 30 years. Active in civic and community affairs, he served as chairman of the Maury County Library Board, was a member of the Santa Fe Cemetery Board, Santa Fe Community Club, Retired Federal Employees Association, Santa Fe Community Square Committee, and Herbert Griffin American Legion Post #19 for 60 years. For a number of years, he was active in productions of Theatre Rondo as an actor in numerous plays and later in The Zodiac Players. Mr. Woody was a long-time member of Santa Fe Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Gladys McMeen Woody, whom he married June 7, 1946; a brother, George (Barbara) Woody of Columbia; several nieces and nephews; special friends, Barbara and Terry Buie; beloved pet, "Ming". He was preceded in death by brothers, Allen Woody, Jefferson Woody, and Henry Paul Woody. Active pallbearers are Marion Sewell, Jimmy Humphrey, Terry Buie, Charles Pigg, Gary Woody, Don Woody, Fred Woody, Wayne Woody, Ronnie Woody, and Barry Woody. Honorary pallbearers include Dr. Steve Simmons and Staff, Dr. Campbell Sowell, James Taylor, John Robert Skillington, Doris Pigg Priest, Elizabeth and Alex Domkowski, Gail and Jim Thorenburg, the congregation of Santa Fe Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and the Oncology Staff at Maury Regional Medical Center.