- Born on: May 15, 1934
- Departed on: April 14, 2019
- Resided in: Greene, IA
Donald Lee Woodley
Donald Lee Woodley passed away Sunday, April 14, 2019. He was tired. You can’t blame him however, he accomplished more in the past 85 years than most of us could in two lifetimes.
Services will be held Saturday May 11th 2019, 1:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church, 319 Traer St, Greene, Iowa 50636. Visitation will be begin one hour prior at noon.
Walter and Bernice (Trindle) Woodley welcomed Don into the world on May 15th, 1934 to their farming family from Hampton, Iowa. The instant you met Don you could tell he was from a small town. Meeting him was unforgettable. His face exuded friendly charm and a captivating smile when he rose to greet you. Don was one of those people who could strike up a conversation with anyone, familiar or stranger. With every conversation you got to know Don a little better, but more importantly he got to know you. He was a man who valued his friendships.
Don graduated from Hansell Consolidated School in 1952 where he fostered a lifetime love of sports playing baseball and basketball. He loved music and participated in band playing the saxophone, and chorus. He would sing in church and community choirs wherever he lived.
Career ambitions would lead Don to further his education, starting at Wartburg College in 1952 and eventually graduating from Iowa State Teacher’s College (which we now know as UNI) in 1960. Don’s love of country led him to serve in the US Army from 1954 to 1956. He’d often talk about the people with whom he served and the experiences they shared.
Don’s incredible civilian career started out as an educator. He taught Industrial Education in West Bend and Charles City. His students can probably still hear his voice in their heads, “that’s not what that tool is for!”
He was a tool design engineer at Doerfer Engineering in Cedar Falls. He worked for Winnebago Ind. in Forest City. His children fondly remember vacations in borrowed recreational vehicles. He worked for Hon Industries in Muscatine. During later years, Don fancied himself a woodworker and started a furniture restoration business in Greene, Iowa, a beautiful town he would call home. He loved remodeling family homes and to an outsider, you’d think he bought houses just so he could. He had vision and creativity and left the mark of his craftsmanship through the thousands of projects he took on.
One might think that Don was all work, but that was hardly the case. Don loved golf. He was always ready for a game of cards. He enjoyed watching football and any Iowa Hawkeye sports on TV. He did get off the couch to go duck and pheasant hunting. You could also catch him playing pool with his sons.
He was a family man too. Don married Phyllis Schwab on July 1, 1956, in Hansell, Iowa. He told stories about how he saw that girl and fell in love. As charming as he was, he knew he would still need to woo her. They started a family, and every member has that same exotic charm he did. It’s an identifying mark that makes any of the Woodleys stand out. You can recognize them anywhere.
Don was proud of his family, preceded in death by his youngest daughter Melissa and survived by Phyllis, daughter Lori (Michael Jones), sons Lynn (Shelly), and Craig (Cheryl). Don loved his grandchildren; Sarah (Michael) Van Peursem, Emily Murff, Anna (Lance) Dake, Brycen Woodley, Camron Woodley, Madeline Woodley, Catherine Woodley, step grandchildren, Eric Jones, Heidi Jones, William Ambroson, Clinton Ambroson, great-grandchildren; Aiden, Gerrit, and Liam Van Peurseum and step-great granddaughter Emma Dake. Don was also preceded in death by his parents Walter and Bernice, and brother Morris and is survived by his brother Warren (Patty) Woodley, and a host of nieces and nephews.
If you have to sum up someone’s life, you’re bound to forget something. But one thing for sure, Donald Woodley was a greater person than all his parts.
Services will be held Saturday May 11th 2019, 1:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church, 319 Traer St, Greene, Iowa 50636. Visitation will be begin one hour prior at noon.
Walter and Bernice (Trindle) Woodley welcomed Don into the world on May 15th, 1934 to their farming family from Hampton, Iowa. The instant you met Don you could tell he was from a small town. Meeting him was unforgettable. His face exuded friendly charm and a captivating smile when he rose to greet you. Don was one of those people who could strike up a conversation with anyone, familiar or stranger. With every conversation you got to know Don a little better, but more importantly he got to know you. He was a man who valued his friendships.
Don graduated from Hansell Consolidated School in 1952 where he fostered a lifetime love of sports playing baseball and basketball. He loved music and participated in band playing the saxophone, and chorus. He would sing in church and community choirs wherever he lived.
Career ambitions would lead Don to further his education, starting at Wartburg College in 1952 and eventually graduating from Iowa State Teacher’s College (which we now know as UNI) in 1960. Don’s love of country led him to serve in the US Army from 1954 to 1956. He’d often talk about the people with whom he served and the experiences they shared.
Don’s incredible civilian career started out as an educator. He taught Industrial Education in West Bend and Charles City. His students can probably still hear his voice in their heads, “that’s not what that tool is for!”
He was a tool design engineer at Doerfer Engineering in Cedar Falls. He worked for Winnebago Ind. in Forest City. His children fondly remember vacations in borrowed recreational vehicles. He worked for Hon Industries in Muscatine. During later years, Don fancied himself a woodworker and started a furniture restoration business in Greene, Iowa, a beautiful town he would call home. He loved remodeling family homes and to an outsider, you’d think he bought houses just so he could. He had vision and creativity and left the mark of his craftsmanship through the thousands of projects he took on.
One might think that Don was all work, but that was hardly the case. Don loved golf. He was always ready for a game of cards. He enjoyed watching football and any Iowa Hawkeye sports on TV. He did get off the couch to go duck and pheasant hunting. You could also catch him playing pool with his sons.
He was a family man too. Don married Phyllis Schwab on July 1, 1956, in Hansell, Iowa. He told stories about how he saw that girl and fell in love. As charming as he was, he knew he would still need to woo her. They started a family, and every member has that same exotic charm he did. It’s an identifying mark that makes any of the Woodleys stand out. You can recognize them anywhere.
Don was proud of his family, preceded in death by his youngest daughter Melissa and survived by Phyllis, daughter Lori (Michael Jones), sons Lynn (Shelly), and Craig (Cheryl). Don loved his grandchildren; Sarah (Michael) Van Peursem, Emily Murff, Anna (Lance) Dake, Brycen Woodley, Camron Woodley, Madeline Woodley, Catherine Woodley, step grandchildren, Eric Jones, Heidi Jones, William Ambroson, Clinton Ambroson, great-grandchildren; Aiden, Gerrit, and Liam Van Peurseum and step-great granddaughter Emma Dake. Don was also preceded in death by his parents Walter and Bernice, and brother Morris and is survived by his brother Warren (Patty) Woodley, and a host of nieces and nephews.
If you have to sum up someone’s life, you’re bound to forget something. But one thing for sure, Donald Woodley was a greater person than all his parts.
