Woods leaves lasting legacy

Raymond Edward Woods 

The family of Raymond Woods of Pineville, Kentucky, celebrates his nearly 100 wonderful years on earth. Raymond peacefully departed this world on March 23, 2025, at his home surrounded by the loving presence of his family. 

    Raymond was a man of faith, service, and family. He was a long-standing and devoted member of the First United Methodist Church of Pineville where he found great joy attending and teaching Sunday School. He served on numerous boards including the Pineville City School Board for two terms where he advocated and secured funding for the school’s first bus. He played a key role in organizing Pineville’s first Little League program and dedicated his time to coaching both junior high AAU and Little League basketball. He was a member of the Pineville Water Board, Pineville Cemetery Board, and the Red Bird School and Hospital Board. He was also involved in Boy Scouts, a member of the Pineville Rotary Club, a Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival Director, and a member of the American Legion. 

    Most of all, Raymond was a loving and supportive husband, father, and Papaw and put his family at the forefront of everything he did. He shared a special bond with his grandchildren who closely cherished and looked up to him. When Raymond wasn’t in his garden, he could often be found doing something to help someone else. He was kind, empathetic, and always brought great joy to everyone around him. 

    Raymond was a proud graduate of Lone Jack High School’s class of 1943. Following graduation, he enlisted in the US Air Corp. During World War II he defended our country in twenty-five missions as a ball turret gunner in a B-17 Bomber and flew forty-one missions overall from the British Isles over France and Germany. During this time, he and his crew survived a plane crash after being shot down over the Rhine River. After the war, the GI Bill afforded him the opportunity to attend the University of Kentucky where he studied chemistry. He later graduated from the University of Scranton with a degree in Chemical Engineering. Following graduation, he was hired on to manage the Kentucky Utilities Chemical Lab at the Four Mile Plant and was later promoted to Superintendent of the Kentucky Utilities Power Plant where he served within the role for forty years until his retirement. During his tenure he was the recipient of the “Governor’s Award for Production and Maintenance”, and in 1977 the Four Mile Plant was named the cleanest coal hydroelectric power production plant in the commonwealth. 

    Raymond was preceded in death by his parents, Lee and Myrtle Woods; his loving wife of 64 years Vivian Lewis Woods; his sisters Eula Helton, Maxine McGaffee, and Mary Latiff; his brothers Dr. Virgil Woods, Clyde Woods, and Carl Woods; and son in law Dr. Joe Kennedy III. 

    Raymond is survived by his three children, Clayton (Moira) Woods, Gary (Helena) Woods, and Jana Woods Kennedy. He is also survived by his grandchildren Amanda (Matthew Peterson) Woods, Christopher (Mandy) Woods, Katherine (MJ White) Woods, Sarah (Jonathan) Saah, and Joseph Kennedy IV; step-grandchildren Kelly Potter and Colin Bakewell; great-grandchildren Maddie Woods, Drayden Woods, and Eleonora Saah; and several nieces and nephews. 

    Raymond leaves us with the following words: “If you can truthfully say you believe in John 3-16, we will meet again for an eternal family reunion. You do not have to say goodbye, but just be thankful that eventually, we can all be together again for eternity.”

    In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Pineville.