On Wednesday, Sept 25, 2024, Bob Woodman passed away at the age of 93 due to advanced dementia and kidney failure.
Robert (Bob) Gordon Woodman was born on March 30, 1931, in his parents’ home on Madison Way, Bainbridge Island, WA. As the youngest of three children of Ellen “Dolly” Woodman and Harold Woodman, Bob was affectionately known as “Babe” and later answered to “Woody” too. He grew up playing with brother Tom, sister Shirley, and his Wallace cousins who lived across the street on the road now known as “Sadie Lane.” While his dad worked in the shipyards and his grandfather captained ferries across Puget Sound, Babe swam and fished in Eagle Harbor, and played football, baseball, and most notably basketball, where his 6’5” frame and unstoppable “sky hook” contributed to the Spartans’ state championship in 1948.
Babe continued to play basketball at Western Washington College of Education, (now known as WWU), where he met the love of his life, Mary Jean Nelson. He graduated in 1953, got married that June, and was drafted into the US army. He served two years at the army base in San Francisco, where his first child was born. The Korean war ended before he was sent overseas, but the Army slang entered his vocabulary for life. Dad always had a colorful way with words.
Bob returned to Bainbridge Island and raised five kids. He loved his family, his many friends, his community and his country. In providing for his family, he not only worked as Senior Vice President at Savings Bank of Puget Sound in Seattle, but also kept a vegetable garden, fruit trees and berry vines. He was a marvelous dad, able to carve a slide whistle out of a willow branch in spring, teach a swan dive, help with geometry homework, recite a surprising number of poems from memory, and grill salmon to perfection. He tolerated an endless parade of stray pets, dug countless postholes to fence in horses, and even built a total of five houses for his kids to enjoy. Yes, dad’s “Love Language” was definitely Acts of Service. He went on numerous camping vacations, hikes, and fishing trips with his kids.
Bob’s long career in banking built many friendships. He called his banking buddies the “Second Avenue Raiders,” and Bob seemed to know everybody in downtown Seattle, greeting folks by name on his daily lunchtime jog up and down the Seattle waterfront. His friendly and upbeat attitude won him the nickname “Mr. Wonderful” at the bank.
Bob loved Bainbridge Island, and he loved America – and he always had at least one antique car in the Bainbridge Island Grand Old Fourth parade, usually his black 1930 Model A sedan. In retirement, he enthusiastically volunteered as a docent at the Bainbridge Island Historical Society. He was the kind of man that delivered Thanksgiving meals to fellow Islanders without a family.
Bob was an unfailing optimist. His favorite saying was “today is the first day of the rest of your life,” and he encouraged his kids to “shoot for the moon.” He loved his 5 kids, his 12 grandkids, and his 15 great-grandkids, and his favorite thing in the world was a huge family get-together.
Bob is preceded in death by his wife Mary, and his sister Shirley Cain and brother Thomas Woodman. He is survived by son John Woodman of Port Townsend (Priscilla, grandchildren Laura Woodman and Charlie Woodman); daughter Kathy Countryman of Bainbridge Island (Rick, grandchildren Katie Starks and Kevin Countryman, great-grandchildren Mary and Justin Starks, and Daniel and Kayla Countryman); son David Woodman of Poulsbo (Janet, grandchildren Angie Smith, Bob Woodman, and Buddy Woodman, and great-grandchildren Brady and Cosy Smith and Davey and Everett Woodman); daughter Janice Hill of Poulsbo (Mike, grandchildren Britt Beahan, Claire Viter, and Brenton Thomas, great-grandchildren Jayden, Paxton and Blakely Beahan and Jack, McKenzie, Adelyn and Shane Viter); daughter Ruth Griffith of Bothell (Adam, grandchildren Jason and Jessica.)
A service will be held Saturday, November 9 at 2pm at the Bainbridge First Baptist Church at 8810 N Madison Ave NE. The family would greatly appreciate your memories on the Tribute Wall at cookfamilyfuneralhome.com.
