JAMES WOODARD, SR.

February 22, 1935 - June 27, 2015

James R. Woodard Sr., 80, of Pembroke Township, IL, died Saturday, June 27, 2015 at his home. Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, July 4, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall in Momence, IL. The speaker will be Herbert Berrien. Cremation rites will be accorded. James R. Woodard, Sr. was born February 22, 1935 in Louisville, Mississippi to J. D. Brown and Ora Bell Thompson. Mr. Woodard had worked as a longshoreman at Calumet Harbor, in Chicago, IL; as a bus driver for Pembroke School District 259 and as a supervisor at The Illinois Department of Corrections, from which he retired after 25 years of service. He was united in Holy Matrimony to the former Juliette Magee on October 9, 1954 and to their union, six beautiful children were born. Mr. Woodard, who never met a stranger, loved animals, farming, living in the country and was an amazing story teller. He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife, Juliette Woodard of Pembroke Township, IL; five daughters and three sons-in-law, Patricia Trapp of Sun River Terrace, IL, Yolanda and Anthony Willis of Joliet, IL, Cheryl and Ernest Ewing of Kankakee, IL, Carmen Woodard and Marie and Waymon Holland, all of Pembroke Township, IL; one sister, Thelma Woodard of Dolton, IL; one sister-in-law, Wortha Carter of Chicago, IL; 13 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren and a host of nieces nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his son, James Woodard Jr., his parents, four sisters and three brothers.