James Cortlandt Woods

James Cortlandt Woods, 89, passed away at the home of his daughters on Tuesday evening, January 3, 2023. Although he was only on hospice service for less than a month, we are very grateful for the guidance and reassurance his nurse Brandy provided us during his last week so we could make him comfortable here at home. Thank you.

Jim is survived by his loving wife Kay, children Michele, Marie (John), Ann (Rafael), Dennis (Leigh), Pat (Dana), Cate and Joe, daughter-in-law Holly, 20 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. He is predeceased by his son Jim, his parents William and Anna and all 5 of his siblings, Dorothea, Father Bill, George, John and Paul.

Jim was a native Houstonian and lifelong member of Corpus Christi Catholic Church. He attended St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School, St. Thomas High School and the University of Texas, Austin. Upon graduation from UT, Jim served his time in the United States Army at Fort Benjamin Harrison located outside of Indianapolis, Indiana. While stationed there, Jim attended social dances and it was at one of these dances where he met Kay. Jim would often tell the story of how he prayed for God to find him a wife and would ask 3 questions of his dance partners: 1) Are you Catholic? 2) Do you come from a large family? and 3) Do you live on a Farm? Religion was important to Jim and if he knew that if she were from a large family, she would not be selfish or self-absorbed. However, coming from a large family could mean she lived on a farm where many bodies were needed to accomplish daily chores and Jim was not interested in a farmer’s daughter. When Jim danced with Kay and commenced his interrogation, Kay laughed and said ”My sister warned me about you…She said to be on the lookout for the blue-eyed boy from Texas…he asks the strangest questions.” It was love at first sight and many socials and evenings after were spent in the company of each other. They later married on Thanksgiving Day and moved to Houston, Texas.

Jim spent years as an accountant, first with the restaurant Foulards, then with Fletcher Emerson, a real estate firm, followed by engineering firms JE Sirrine and MEP Group. Post retirement, Jim worked with his brother, John in the supply and export of materials for John’s construction firm in Belize. Jim and Kay made numerous trips to the airport and Jim was on a first name basis with the employees at Grainger and Amerijet.

Jim’s involvement at Corpus Christi parish included active participation in the choir and volunteering when needed. Jim and Kay were active in Family Guild, RCIA, sponsors for couples in the marriage counseling program and distributing communion to patients at St. Joseph’s Hospital. They also volunteered frequently at the school, where their contributions resulted in the Woods Award - an annual service award named in their honor.

To his family, Jim was a soft-spoken disciplinarian. He loved playing the ukulele, camping, mowing the lawn and washing cars. He volunteered for the Boy Scouts when his sons participated. He volunteered as bookkeeper for Braes Bayou Willow Creek, a summer baseball & softball organization while his kids played the sport. On most evenings and weekends, Jim was outside in his standard long pants and white long-sleeved shirt tinkering with cars or mowing the lawn or just sitting outside on the driveway people-watching with Kay by his side. Friday evenings for many years were spent square dancing with his wife.

Jim loved to travel and the family spent many weekends going on Sunday drives or camping. There was the annual trip to Indianapolis to visit Kay’s parents and to attend the summer family picnic, his favorite highlight of the trip. He would play the ukulele to accompany his nephew Larry who played the accordion, and conduct sing-a-longs of many of his favorite songs. Jim and Kay also traveled with their children’s families to Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Mount Rushmore, Biltmore, Branson, California, Florida, New York, Belize and many other locales. Jim had a collection of placemats of the places visited and loved to initiate conversations and reminisce about his trips with visitors.

Jim’s love of music had him participating in a ukulele group known as the Sugar Sticks. This group volunteered at marathon races, hospital events, school activities and retirement homes. He loved playing. His favorite songs were “She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain” and “On Top of Spaghetti.” He sometimes got out the ukulele to play a few tunes for us here at home these past few years.

Dad was a wonderful father. We miss his corny Dad jokes, his singing, his love of traveling and his quite demeanor. We mourn his loss everyday but are comforted in knowing that he is in heaven with God and family.

A Rosary and Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, February 25 at 10:30 a.m. at Corpus Christi Catholic Church at 9900 Stella Link Rd., Houston, Texas 77025. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the Corpus Christi Catholic Church Capital Campaign.