Woody was born on March 7th, 1947 in Nevada, Missouri. After graduating high school, he moved to Fort Collins, Co to live with his father. Shortly after moving to Colorado, he met the woman who would be his wife, Kathleen Ford while cruising College Ave with friends. They fell in love and their relationship blossomed. Woody joined the Air Force and went away for basic training. During his time away they correspond through love letters and the relationship deepened. Before he returned from basic training he phoned Kathy's father and asked for her hand in marriage. They were married on January 20th, 1967, a marriage that lasted the span of 55 years.
After marriage Woody was deployed as a loadmaster on C130s and he spent 4 years of his military career seeing different parts of the world. Their daughter Michelle Lynn Duchene, was born at Forbes Air Force Base, in 1968 where they were stationed. It was during this time his passion for travel was ignited. He reached the honor of Staff Sergeant and was discharged in 1970.
After discharge, he and Kathy moved back to Colorado to settle down. They had their son Russel Scott Ford on July 23, 1971. During the years in Fort Collins Woody worked odd jobs before finding his passion as a long-distance truck driver. This fulfilled his love for travel allowing him the opportunity to see the country from coast to coast. After a prestigious 5 million mile, no accident career in trucking, over 20 years he retired. Shortly after retirement, he and Kathy built their dream home in the mountains of Colorado. The home where he spent his final days surrounded by his loving family before losing his battle to cancer, Parkinson's, and heart disease.
He is survived by his wife Kathy, daughter Michelle Duchene, son Scott, daughter-in-law Michele, Granddaughters Lilian and Hannah and two Great grandsons.
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