Franklyn L. “Woody” Wooden, Jr., 91, of Kingwood Township, NJ, passed away on Friday, July 26, 2024 at his home. At his side was his beloved wife of 67 years, Dee.
Born February 22, 1933 in Trenton, NJ, Woody grew up in Titusville before settling in Kingwood Township in 1962. He graduated from Lambertville High School and Pennington Preparatory School. Woody served in the Marine Corps and was a veteran of the Korean War. He attended Rutgers University in New Brunswick after he was married. Woody worked as a carpenter for AT&T in Hopewell, NJ for 20 years before retiring as a state bee inspector for the State of New Jersey in Trenton, NJ. He was a past president of Northwest New Jersey Bee Keepers Association, a lifetime member of the Eastern Apiary Society, a founding member of the New Hope Beagle Club, a past president of the Kingwood Township Little League, and a member of the Masonic Lodge Amwell No. 12 in Lambertville, NJ.
Son of the late Franklyn L. and Alice Mae (Guhl) Wooden, Sr., Woody is survived by his beloved wife Dolores “Dee” (Cervone) Wooden, his two sons Peter Wooden and his wife Gina of Stockton and Mark Wooden and his wife Jill of Quakertown, his two daughters Carolyn Pyatt (Bill, predeceased) of Coopersburg, and Patricia Knoblauch (Ken, predeceased) of New Tripoli, his brother Thomas Wooden (Agnes, predeceased) of Lambertville, and his sister Frances Fisher and Jack of West Creek. He is survived by loving grandchildren Whitney Sheppleman (Jason) of Richlandtown, Clark Knoblauch (Deanna) of Slatington, Hunter Wooden (Tori) of Milford, Max Knoblauch (Kaitlyn) of Queens, Forrest Wooden of New Bern, Paige Pyatt of Kutztown (Adam Fosbenner), Kayla Wooden of Lambertville, and Jacob Wooden of Quakertown; and four amazing great-grandchildren: Aubrey, Liliana, Barrett, and Evelyn.
Woody had an amazing life and people were drawn to him. They appreciated his integrity, honesty, kind and loving spirit, and sense of fairness. Although a man of few words, his family and friends have numerous euphemisms and famous Woody phrases. Among them: “Ain’t this livin’,” “It’s fair,” and “Everything’s better with ice cream.”
Woody grew up on a chicken farm and farming was always in his heart. As a youth he was involved in a 4H poultry club along with his sister and brother, which his father led. He loved his horse Playboy and would often ride Pincushion Mountain.
Woody and Dee bought their home in Kingwood and continued to farm, plant, and remodel the house, which only took 62 years. Chickens, pigs, a pony, a horse, rabbits, geese, dogs, and even a few cats and a snail all were part of life at Woody and Dee’s. Woody instilled in his children a respect for and awe of nature.
Football and baseball were two of Woody’s favorite sports. He loved baseball and was a leader in the township Little League program. He was a Yankees fan through and through and enjoyed a trip to Yankee Stadium. Woody played football in high school, prep school, and on a semi pro league in Princeton. A great joy of his was to see his children and grandchildren excel in sports: football, baseball, cross-country, wrestling, basketball, and softball. His distinctive whistle and voice was often heard across the football field or gym, giving gentle guidance to the refs.
The great love of his life was his wife Dee. They bonded over ice cream and shared interests. They took care of one another throughout their lives together. He was always so proud of Dee’s cherry and apple pies. Together they built a life of meaningful, wonderful friendships and had many happy adventures together.
The family will receive relatives and friends for a visitation on Monday, August 5, 2024 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the Johnson-Walton Funeral Home, 24 Church Road, Holland Township, NJ. A Celebration of Woody’s Life will immediately follow at 11:00 a.m. Interment, with military honors, will follow at the Rosemont Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hunterdon Hospice, Inc, 2100 Wescott Drive, Flemington, NJ 08822; the Kingwood Township Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 89, Baptistown, NJ 08802; or to the charity of one’s choice.
We’ve lost a friend. Remember to tell your bees.
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