Long time members will remember Carl and Norma Woods, who were regular attendees at the Reunions. They were last able to attend the 2007 Reunion in San Antonio. Norma passed not long afterwards, but Carl held in there to the ripe old age of 93. He would have been 94 next month. They were both some of my favorite people on this earth and made me feel very welcome as a new member at the 2001 Portsmouth, NH reunion. Carl was a descendant of Phillip Babb of the Isles of Shoals, through his second son Thomas. I don’t have an accurate birth order on his large family, but his grandmother was Mary Matilda Babb (1-2-2-1-5-1-5=4).

I distinctly remember them having come back to the bus a little early after touring one day, as did I. We sat on the bus and discussed so many things. Carl’s health prevented him from active participation in recent years. I’ll leave you with these two photos taken at the 2004 Reunion in Greeneville, TN. I’m so sad to hear of Carl’s loss, but know he will be so happy to be back with Norma at last. God Speed my friend!

His obituary follows:

LCDR Carl Woods, USN Retired, 93, of Corpus Christi, Texas went to his eternal patrol, on August 2, 2017 at his home in Corpus Christi. A Celebration of Life Service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at the Murray Church of Christ in Murray, IA. Rev. Roger Woods will officiate. Interment will be at the Murray Cemetery south of Murray with military graveside rites by the William Lochery American Legion Post # 405 of Murray. Open visitation with family receiving friends will be 5-8 p.m. Friday, August 11, 2017 at the Powers Funeral Home in Afton. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Timothy Hill Children’s Ranch 298 Middle Road, Riverhead, NY 11901, or USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN705) memorial Fund, US Submarine Veterans Corpus Christi 6537 S Staples St. Suite 1215 PMB 218 Corpus Christi, Texas 78413 or a charity of your choice.

Carl was born to Ray and Abigail “Abbie” (Roberts) Woods, September 25, 1923 on the family homestead, on the prairies of northeastern Montana, 9 miles from the Canadian Border, nearest town being Malta, in Phillips County, Montana.

Carl 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 graduated in 1941 – he was the Salutatorian, 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.

Carl 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 SS393, 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 serve as the “COB” Chief of the Boat (Gold Crew), on the USS George Washington SSBN598. 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, and 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, Calif. designing tests for the Navy. His reward from the Navy, a job that was 7am – 4pm.
He spent his final 17 work years, working with his brother Edgar, at Computer Sciences Corporation – where he was a Programer, 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 William Lochery American Post #405 in Murray, IA and of SubVets Sea Turtle Base here in Corpus Chriti, 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). His sister in law, June Philiips Flaherty and brother in law, Pinky Wayne Phillip, both of Murray Iowa and 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.