Jesse James “Jake” Woods, 93, born on October 20, 1927 on Chenoweth Fork Road to Charles Wesley Woods and Grace L. Grooms Woods left this earthly life and gained his heavenly home on Saturday, June 19, 2021 at approximately 9:20 p.m. He leaves behind one son; Charles William “Bill” (Kim) Woods and three daughters; Phyllis A. (Phill) Legg, Rebecca S. “Becky” (Dale) Black, Jessica L. (Steve) Colegrove; six grandchildren, Chris and Ben Legg, Jeff and Joe Sanfillipo, Amy Dillon and Brody Colegrove; 17 great grandchildren; one great great grandchild and one on the way. Plus numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife Ruth E Brown Woods, his second wife Ruth Knisley Woods; two brothers, Roy A. and Woodrow J. Woods; four sisters, Bertha Woods, Inez McKay, Retha Beekman and Ethel Beavers plus three siblings who died at birth.
Jesse was a World War II veteran. He was stationed in Japan during its occupation by the Allies at the end of the war. Jesse loved to travel. The early years sleeping arrangements were the back of a 1958 Chevy station wagon for he and Ruth and a tent that he made using Ruth’s old Singer sewing machine for the kids.
Jesse was saved during a three month revival in the winter of 1969. His favorite quote “I got saved on the tail end of a whirlwind”. He was a living testimony of Christ’s love to his family and friends from that time on. He will be missed by his many friends at Beavers Chapel Church where he was a permanent fixture only missing when on vacation or “extremely” sick (which wasn’t often). His favorite comeback when asked how he was doing, “Oh, just tolerable”.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, June 24, 2021 at Beavers Chapel Church with Terry Lawson officiating. Burial will follow in White Oak Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at Botkin Hornback Funeral Home in Waverly.
