Pastor Dick Woodward, of Williamsburg and formerly of Greensburg, Pa., died March 8, 2014.
As a pastor, teacher, mentor, writer, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, he influenced the lives of many people in the Tidewater area and around the world through his life and ministry.
Mr. Woodward graduated from Biola College in Los Angeles in 1953. After attending seminary in Texas, he came to Norfolk in 1955 to serve with the Tabernacle Church, where he met and married Ginny Johnson in 1956. He went on to start and lead the Virginia Beach Community Chapel for over 25 years until an illness led him across the waters to Williamsburg in 1979 to pastor the Williamsburg Community Chapel.
Even after a debilitating disease confined him to a wheelchair, he actively led WCC and continued teaching the Mini Bible College, a course he developed to make it easier for lay people to understand the Bible. In 1996, he pulled back from active ministry at WCC to serve as pastor emeritus.
As a bedridden quadriplegic, he continued a vibrant ministry as the Mini Bible College broadcasted through International Cooperating Ministries to countries all over the world. He also mentored weekly many people at WCC and in the community.
He was born in 1930, the seventh in a family of 11 children, to Harry Girard and Virginia Claire Woodward. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Ginny Johnson Woodward; children, Shere and Woody Perry, Cindy and Mark Kranich, Dean and Lynn Woodward, Virginia Lea Woodward and Dwight Woodward; grandchildren, Megan and Chris Fisher, Morgan Perry, Joy and Randy Martin, Rick and Becca Woodward and Jessey Woodward; beautiful great-grandchildren, Ty, Grey and Eden Joy Martin, with another great-granddaughter on the way; siblings, Ruth Lyons, Thom and Judy Woodward, Joy and Jay Janes; his brother Jerry’s wife, Dorothy Woodward; and his brother Pete’s wife, Polly Woodward.
There will be a memorial celebration of Mr. Woodward’s life at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 15, 2014, at the Williamsburg Community Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Mini-Bible College c/o International Cooperating Ministries at 1901 North Armistead Avenue Hampton, VA, 23666-4311.
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