Willard "Woody" H. Woods

Willard H. "Woody" Woods 81, of St. Petersburg, died Oct. 26, 2011, after a long illness. Born in Fountain City, TN, on Nov. 9, 1929, he came here in 1945 from Springfield, MA, going to work at the St. Petersburg Times as an apprentice typographer. When he left the company in December 1968, he was News Production Foreman for the Evening Independent. In 1970, he founded and served as president of Photocomp Inc., a computerized typesetting company. A proud member of the United States Marine Corps, he saw combat in the Korean War in 1951-52, and his ashes will be interred at Bay Pines National Cemetery. He was preceded in death by his parents, Willard H. Woods Sr. and Marie L. Woods. He is deeply mourned by his wife of 44 years, Janet H. Woods; a sister, Elizabeth A. Shepard of Gulfport; a granddaughter, Rachael L. Woods of St. Petersburg; nieces Kathy Velasquez and her husband, Richard, of Bryan, TX, and Kimberly Nichols and her husband, Nicholas, of Ellicott City, MD; nephew, Michael Getchel of Bryan, TX; brother-in-law Michael H. Hunter of New York, NY; brother-in-law James Zurbrick and his wife, Patty, of Steinhatchee; many great-nieces and great-nephews; his devoted caretaker, Terri McBride; and dear friends Andrea Poirier of St. Petersburg, John and Judy Parker of Port Richey and Robert Whitehouse of Evansville, IN. A private family service will be followed by a celebration of his life, details to be determined and shared with friends. In his memory, donations may be made to the Suncoast Hospice, the SPCA Tampa Bay or Friends of Strays. David C. Gross Funeral Homes, Central Avenue Chapel, St. Petersburg is serving the family. Service Information