Colonel Raymond E. Woodson's Obituary
Colonel Raymond Eugene Woodson, 82, of Mount Juliet passed away on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 after an extended illness. He was born on September 10, 1938 in Nashville, TN, son of Robert and Ruby Carrington Woodson, both of whom preceded him in death.
Raymond is survived by his wife of 62 years, Peggy Elaine Brosius Woodson; daughters Dr. Janet Dellinger (Edward), Memphis; Kathryn Barr (Thomas), Providence, RI. and grandchildren: Dr. Elaine Dellinger, Oakland, CA; Carolyn Dellinger, Memphis; William Dellinger, Boulder, CO; Rebecca Woodson Barr, Portland, ME; Elizabeth Barr, Boston, MA; and Thomas A. Barr, Boston, MA. Raymond is also survived by his brother-in-law Murray T. Brosius, Jr., of Fort Myers, FL, and many friends, including Joe Bednarz of Hendersonville and Jacky Winters of Murfreesboro, TN.
He is survived by two brothers, James Robert Woodson (Ann) of Fairview, and Terry N. Woodson (Karen) of Goodlettsville. He is preceded in death by two sisters, Barbara Woodson Porter and Patricia Woodson.
Raymond married his high school sweetheart, Peggy, on September 6, 1958. His daughter, Janet, was born in 1960 and his daughter, Kathryn, was born in 1963. Raymond was educated in the Davidson County schools, including Jere Baxter and Isaac Litton High School, class of 1956. He graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, June 1961, with a B.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
He completed the Air Force ROTC program at UT and received his Air Force Commission as Second Lieutenant, immediately following his graduation ceremony. He obtained his private pilot’s license while participating in the AFROTC program at UT.
Following his UT graduation, he moved his family to Livonia, Michigan and worked for Ford Motor Company for several months until he was called to military duty for pilot training at Big Spring Air Force Base, Big Spring, Texas. He trained in the T-34 and T-38 fighters.
Upon completion of pilot training, he was stationed at Smyrna Air Force Base, Smyrna, TN, flying the C-130 aircraft. His Smyrna assignment included many temporary duty assignments (TDY) overseas and within the states. Flying the C-130 at Lockbourne AFB, was his next assignment and he flew mostly TDY out of the country.
After Lockbourne AFB, he was assigned to Naha Air Force Base in Okinawa, flying and instructing in the C-130. After buying a house, his wife and two daughers joined him and lived in Okinawa for 2 ½ years. Most of Raymond’s duties were flights in the Viet Nam war area. In spite of the war, Ray and his family had several adventurous trips to Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Thailand, and various sites in Okinawa.
When he returned to the States in 1968, Raymond resigned his Regular Commission and moved his family to Hendersonville,TN, on Old Hickory Lake. A few months later, he joined the Tennessee Air National Guard at Berry Field in Nashville, where his duties included flying and instructing in the C-130, serving as squadron commander of the 105th Tactical Airlift Squadron, and working in headquarters. He completed about 35 years of military service and retired as Colonel in September 1998.
He was also a Vice-President, equipment supervisor, and corporate pilot for W.L. Hailey Construction Company. He was an active member of the (river) Pilot Club. He lived in Oak Hill, Davidson County.
With his encouragement, his eldest daughter, Janet, earned her private pilot’s license, while in high school. He could always find a plane to fly, so with Janet as co-pilot, Raymond flew his family to Mexico City and Oaxaca, Mexico, for an exciting and educational vacation. He enjoyed flying his family on many vacations in the country.
Following his retirement from the TANG and W.L. Hailey Construction, Ray and Peggy moved to an 86 acre farm on Old Hickory Lake in Wilson County. This move developed into 24 magical years for Raymond and Peggy. Their six grandchildren visited often, and Raymond taught them to drive the go-cart, lawn mowers, tractors, trucks, and other equipment at an early age. He also trained them to drive the various boats and wave-runners, to water-ski, and to fish.
Raymond’s Wilson County home was ideally located near the Gallatin Airport and the Lebanon Airport. Raymond became a partner in a Cherokee Archer airplane, and bought a hangar at the Gallatin Airport. He was an active member of the Lebanon Airport EAA Chapter and the Gallatin Airport EAA chapter, which he helped organize.
Raymond fulfilled his dream and built his own airplane, a Zenith Zodiac, in the basement of his home, with the assistance of his friend, Jacky Winters. He hauled it to the Gallatin Airport on a trailer and installed the wings at the airport. Peggy and Jacky witnessed his first flight in the airplane in October 2013.
Raymond encouraged his grandchildren to get a pilot’s license as soon as they met the age requirement. Two have their licenses now, and one has soloed. All the grandchildren grew up enjoying flying with “Granddaddy”, especially to the EAA Fly-In Breakfasts on Saturday mornings. He took both grandsons to the Oshkosh event.
Upon a suggestion from Raymond’s daughter, Kathryn, the Lebanon EAA chapter honored Raymond with a fly-by of small aircraft over Raymond’s home on July 4, 2020. Raymond and his family enjoyed the spectacular sight from the deck of his home. Flying was his passion, and he logged 10,690 hours.
Anyone who met Raymond quickly learned that he was very proud of his grandchildren (and their parents). Four of his grandchildren have completed advanced degrees: Doctor of Medicine, Master of Foreign Service, Juris Doctor, and Master of Library and Information Science. One grandson will be entering law school next year. The youngest grandson is a college junior studying computer engineering.
When the grandchildren began to go away to college, Raymond and Peggy began traveling overseas and cruising for several months each year, occasionally joined by family. They recently bought a house next to Peggy’s brother in Fort Myers as a retreat from the cold Tennessee winters.
Raymond had health issues which required various surgeries, treatments, radiation, and chemotherapy from September 2017 until his death on November 3, 2020. He was expected to have several more months before his death, but he died unexpectedly and peacefully while sleeping in his favorite recliner and watching TV.
Private family burial will take place in the Nashville National Cemetary, 1420 Gallatin Road S., Madison, TN. This cemetery presented Raymond and Peggy with vivid childhood memories, especially of a flag on each grave on the 4th of July.
Raymond’s graveside service will take place at a later date with Air Force Military rights accorded at that time.
Arrangements entrusted to Spring Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery.
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