Woody Neil McMahon

Woody Neil McMahon’s faith became sight in the early morning of June 2, 2024. He was born April 12, 1936 in Norman, OK to Woodrow Wilson McMahon & Ora Catherine Brown Ahrens. Soon after his birth he went to live with his grandparents: Henry Claude [H.C.] Brown & Vinnie Loveless Brown in Norman, OK.

While his parents soon divorced, he gained an extended family of half siblings that he came to know and love; Woodrow Wilson McMahon Jr., Oklahoma City, OK, Richard LeRoy McMahon Oklahoma City, OK, George Cecil Ahrens of Welch, OK. Claude Martin Ahrens Oklahoma City, OK, deceased, Barbara Catherine Ahrens Broyles of Neosho, MO.

Woody wanted to travel but what does a poor kid from Oklahoma do? So when he graduated from Norman, H.S. (1954) he joined the Air Force. He did basic training at Lackland Air Force Base which was the 1st time he ever flew in a plane and left Oklahoma. After basic he was sent to Great Falls, MT, then Fortuna, and then Rapid City, S.D. He advanced to Airman 3rd Class & was offered a promotion if he would re-enlist but the Air Force couldn’t guarantee an overseas assignment. He decided to move on and received an Honorable Discharge from active service on Nov. 31, 1958. His Air Force Service Classification was “Draftsman.”

Woody returned to Norman, OK. and used the G.I. bill to attend Drawns Business College in Oklahoma City from 1959 - 1960. There he met the woman of his dreams Nancy Faye Troop. They fell in love and couldn’t wait to get married. They married June 3, 1960 at Trinity Baptist Church in Norman, OK. They moved to Oklahoma City and soon Woody started his Insurance career. His 1st Insurance job was with Hooper-Holmes Bureau as an Insurance Investigator. Then he worked for Continental Insurance. While still in Oklahoma City their first child was born: Jeffrey Wayland McMahon on August 2nd 1964.

Woody then transferred to Houston, TX in 1966 to work in the Fire & Marine Department of Continental Insurance. Soon after moving to Houston their 2nd child was born: Lesley Ann McMahon (Hardwick) on May 1, 1967.

In 1976 Woody then took a position with USAA and moved the family to San Antonio where he worked for USAA for 25 years, retiring December 31, 1999. He then finished up his working career by working with the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association part time. He completely retired around age 72.

Woody loved to travel and as it turned out he traveled more with USAA than he did with the Air Force. He was part of that special group of people insurance companies sent in after a bad storm. It was the 70’s and the movie Star Wars had just come out so his team was referred to as “Storm Troopers.” His most adventurous assignment came in 1991 when Mt. Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines and the air and naval bases became covered in ash. While the bases were evacuated he and his team sometimes waded knee deep through ash to assess claims for property belonging to military personnel.

Continuing to travel for fun he took his family on vacations to New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana. He and Nancy went to Hawaii twice, the Holy Lands and to Alaska. Some of his friends from church shared a love of photography. They formed a club and they took a trip up the west coast highway through California to Washington.

He was very active with his churches. He served as a Deacon at Castle Hills First Baptist, San Antonio, participated in Christmas Pageants, taught Sunday school, was active with Bible Study Fellowship and contributed his photography skills creating pictures for the church.

At age 83 he and Nancy were planning a trip to Ireland with some friends when he got diagnosed with Mantle Cell Lymphoma. Woody didn’t care how old he was. He wanted to keep going. He was bound and determined to beat this incurable cancer, so when the cancer was in remission he headed back to the golf course and continued to travel taking trips to see friends and relatives.

His oncologist mentioned how tough Woody seemed to handle the chemo saying he did better at 85 than others did at 65. I didn’t know anyone could eat a Subway sandwich while receiving intravenous chemo but he did! After a few years the lymphoma appeared in his brain with one last attempt to beat it before going on hospice.

Woody had a full and wonderful life and will be missed by everyone who knew him.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Nancy Faye McMahon (Troop), his son Jeffrey Wayland McMahon and wife Kimberly June McMahon (Dickey), his daughter Lesley Ann Hardwick (McMahon), her husband Mark Clayton Hardwick and their children: Kayla Marie Hardwick Vaughn, Matthew Clayton Hardwick and wife Anai Duran Hardwick, Jonathan Neil Hardwick and Rachel Marie Hardwick. His great grandchildren: Logan Malachi Vaughn, Zaydie Lynette Custred, Allison Duran, and Keylani Sophia Hardwick.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Woody's honor to the Gideons International, https://gideons.org/donate

A celebration of life for Woody will be held Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 10:30 AM at Stonebriar Funeral Home, 10375 Preston Rd., Frisco, Texas 75034. A private inurnment will be held at Dallas/Ft. Worth National Cemetery.