WOODS, Richard and Ruth (Harris)
RICHARD AND RUTH (HARRIS) WOODS
Not many times can we say thank you to a couple who were both WWII Veterans, but in the case of Richard Woods, and his wife, Ruth Harris, we are blessed.
The above is their wedding picture, married in Mississippi in a little chapel on April 23, 1943 with their best friends standing up with them. He spent the next year and a half in the Pacific, writing many letters home. Hopefully, this site will have some of those to share later on. . A nurse, Ruth spent time in the Corps as well, and later back home in Texas was a school nurse for a couple of decades. His unit was the 21st Troop Carrier Squandran.
When they were out of the service, they returned to Montgomery County and lived in a nice, small house at 210 South Bluff Street. A darling baby, Nancy (our cousin, Nan), was added to their family and all was well.
He became a flight instructor at the local airport and was taking classes at Purdue. It was then he came home and found Ruth unconscious and the baby in the crib. To the hospital they went. She was diagnosed incorrectly and so he didn't know that he should not enter the house because of carbon monoxide poisoning. The baby was taken to Gma' & Gpa' Woods'. Later, Richard's best friend, Max Gould, and a policeman Ken Williams, along with his father shortly afterward found him passed away. Tragedy. Such potential in life, but we aren't to question the Good Lord, I guess. His death record noted that he was born in Smartsburg, Indiana and that the Post Mortem examination revealed that he passed away from an accidental death due to carbon monixide poisoning.
Happy memories flowed forever for his wife, who moved back to Texas and spent many years as a school nurse. Nancy grew to be a happy lady, married with two daughters, who produced three great grandchildren. I want to thank both Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lowell Woods for their service to our country.
Rich enlisted on 30 March 1942 at Lafayette, Indiana in the Air Corps as a private and left as a Captain. Such drive that boy had.
I know that Facebook and other social media can be bad, but I'm thankful that I met my cousin, Nan on FB and hopefully will remain buddies with her for our life times. -- kbz
Note: See his findagrave entry here. He has a government stone which Ruth made sure he had almost immediately upon his death.
Note 2: Rich was born to Alonzo (Lonnie) Woods and my great aunt, Pearl Smith Woods in Smartsburg and is one of the people the whole family was as proud as punch regarding !
Below is a photo of Richard Lowell Woods and his father Alonzo Woods, the day Richard returned from WWII - he was a pilot 18 months flying "The Hump" Pacific Theater - photo from his daughter Nan Woods
