Carl Ronald Woods, born September 25, 1923 and went on Eternal Patrol August 2, 2017.

He was born to Ray and Abbie Woods, on the family homestead, on the prairies of northeastern Montana, 9 miles from the Canadian Border, nearest town being Malta, in Phillips County, Montana. 

He was raised in Iowa in Greene, Grand River, Union and Clarke Counties.  Schooling was in one room schoolhouses, until he went to High School in Murray, Iowa where he graduate in 1941 - he was the Saluditarian, probably should have been the Valedictorian, but learning came easy for him and he didn’t have to study much to keep his grades up, and my mother, Norma did, so she was named Valedictorian. 

Carl was number 8 in the Woods brood of 9 and worked with his father, brothers and sisters in working the family farm.  When the war came in 1941, he had graduated from High School and had promised his father he would bring in 2 more harvests.  

He joined the US Navy in December of 1942 and went to Great Lakes Naval Training Center, thus beginning his 30 year career in the Navy.  Going from a lowly seaman, to the rank of 04 - Lieutenant Commander before retiring in 1973.  Carl was a Veteran of World War II, the Korean War, Cold War and the Vietnam War.  He was a Hospital Corpsman on Submarines (USS Ronquil SS-396, USS Queenfish  SS-393, USS Blackfin SS-322). He served as a Medical Corpsmen, attached to the Marine 1st Division in Korea, and was a recruiter in Denver, Colorado. The NAVY raised the age limit for Nuclear Power School, so in 1957 he applied and was accepted, and then stayed on to teach at the school, before returning to Submarines to served as the “COB” Chief of the Boat (Gold Crew), on the USS George Washington SSBN-598. He even made the cover of Life Magazine (background) in 1962.  

As an officer, he was a Limited Duty, Admin officer at the Recruiting Center at Great Lake Naval Training Center, then at the beginning of the Vietnam build up (1965), he was sent Danang, Chou Lai, Saigon and other back water places to set up offices, design buildings, set up protocols and other things. He then was transferred to Hawaii where he was the “Postal Officer of the Pacific” at Com Serv Pac. He did too good of a job and ended up being in charge of all branches of the military mail going into  SE Asia.  He ended his career in San Diego, CA designing tests for the Navy.  His reward from the Navy, a job that was 7am - 4pm.

He spent his final 17 years, working with his brother Edgar, at Computer Sciences Corporation - where he was a Programmer, Analyst - going back to his first love submarines, and helped in designing the computer programs for the Aegis Missiles.   Carl was an active member of his VFW chapter in Murray, IA and of SubVets Sea Turtle Base here in Corpus Christi, TX.

Carl married Norma Charlotte Phillips in 1944, and they were together till her death in 2008, a few weeks short of their 64th wedding anniversary.  They used to joke that "we did okay for two farm kids from Iowa."  As a family they had four children, Philip E. Woods, Craig A. Woods, C. Elaine Woods and Roger B. Woods and moved as a family from coast to coast several times, Hawaii, Denver, Colorado, Great Lakes, IL, Murray, IA and finally retiring in Corpus Christi, TX in 1995. Carl was a member of Kings Crossing Church of Christ (formerly Windsor Park Church of Christ).  Carl was a quiet man who loved the Lord, and will be remembered for laughter, love of anything outdoors, and his sense of humor.  He had a deep voice that could rattle the rafters, but was kind hearted and gentle, beneath the bark.  

Carl is survived by his son Philip E. Woods (Vivian Woods) of Corpus Christi, TX; Craig A. Woods (Linda Woods) of Fleming, OH; Carol Elaine Woods of Corpus Christi, TX; Roger B. Woods (Glenda Woods) of Walled Lake, MI; Six Grandsons: Wilson Woods (Alicia Woods) of Fort Worth, TX; Clinton Woods (Catherine Woods) of Arnold, MD; Evan Woods of Denton, TX; Shawn Woods (Jessica Woods) of Belpre, OH; Trevor Woods of Detroit, MI and Ryan Woods of Walled Lake, MI.  He was blessed with seven great grandchildren - Charlotte & Parker (Wilson Woods), Jonas, Maris Cate, Cullen & Emerson (Clinton Woods) and Claire (Shawn Woods).  Numerous wonderful nieces and nephews, and cousins from all over the country that he cherished.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Norma Charlotte Phillips Woods, parents Ray and Abbie Woods; his sisters Beryl Woods Boles, Georgia Woods Timan, Mary Woods Payne, and Maxine Woods Kessler; and his brothers Raymond Woods, Clarke Woods, Dean Woods and Edgar Woods. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to:  

1)  Timothy Hill Childrens Ranch 298 Middle Road, Riverhead, NY 11901  
2) USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN705) Memorial Fund  
      US Submarine Veterans Corpus Christi 
      6537 S Staples ST Suite 125 PMB 218  
      Corpus Christi, TX  78413  
3) or to the charity of your choice.   

Services are as follows:  Visitation Friday August 4, 2017 at Kings Crossing Church of Christi  (5901 Yorktown Blvd  Corpus Christi, TX 78414) from 5 PM to 8 PM.  There will be a coffee and cookie reception and plenty of time to share stories.   

The Memorial Service will be Saturday August 5, 2017 at 10 AM at Seaside Memorial Park Chapel (4357 Ocean Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78412) with full Military Honor Guard.

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