Thursday, July 20, 2023
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Life with Woody was an adventure and a journey. I would describe him as a combination of Monty Python meets Prep School at a horse race. He was lively, with a jovial and energetic spirit, experiencing the ‘Joie De Vie’ (Joy of Life).
I first met Woody when he was a graduate student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He was enthralled with the culture of Louisiana, describing it as a ‘whole other world’. He liked visiting Blue Moon Saloon and spending time with friends. We worked on his thesis project (soil hydrogeology) together, while he was in pursuit of his master’s degree (M.S. Geology) which he earned from UL Lafayette in 2005. After graduation, Woody started on his career in the environmental field. We were married that year amongst family and friends and then relocated to New Jersey for work, and later to Maryland where we made our final home. We adopted twin cats, Yota and Kluso, who were dearly loved and always amusing.
Woody cherished all of his friends, and loved his family. He spoke proudly of his parents and their legacy; his Dad was inducted into Racing Hall of Fame and his Mother was a riding instructor for Jacqueline Bouvier, as a young woman before marrying John F. Kennedy. He told me stories of growing up in Long Island, sibling rivalry, and family dinners with London Broil and Yorkshire pudding on the menu. We ventured down memory lane in Long Island, NY to his old neighborhoods, and stomping grounds up to Saratoga. Pictures of family and friends were kept in our home so they felt ever-present. He admired and respected his sister, Sheila, and cousins, Sharon, Kevin, and Chip in Warrenton, VA at Dog Patch Farm.
I remember how passionate he was as a horseman and that he loved to reminisce about his riding days, his many encounters and life as a rider and a trainer, silly antics with horses (being bitten on the shoulder by a famous horse), as well as the accidents he suffered through. He told me once that because he became so intimately familiar with the ground after his falls, he decided to go ahead and study it (and that was his reason for studying geology)! He was an accomplished field geologist, who appreciated and loved his work.
Woody endeavored to create his own path and he certainly did that. He leaves an indelible memory from his remarkable life, and I was blessed to have experienced his journey. Rest in peace.
Always,
“Bunkie” (Danna)
