Gail Everett Woodward

August 9, 1945-November 1, 2021

Gail “Woody” Everett Woodward of Loveland, Colorado, was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and dedicated friend. Gail peacefully went home to be with his Heavenly Father on

Monday November 1, 2021, at the age of 76, after a long battle with dementia and a short illness.

Gail was born in Callaway, Nebraska, to Merril E. and Esther C. Woodward. He resided there until

joining the United States Army in 1965, serving until 1968, finishing his service in Vietnam.

He met and later married the love of his life, Jo Anne Marie Andre of Arnold, Nebraska on January 24,

1970. They faithfully remained together for 51 ½ years, beginning their life together in Cozad,

Nebraska, moving to North Platte then back to Cozad, where they became parents of Shelby Joy Esther and Joel Matthew Gail Woodward. The family remained in Cozad until 1990 and then moved to Loveland, Colorado.

Gail served in law enforcement for 18 years, leaving the profession as a sergeant. After moving to

Loveland, he felt the best way to continue serving was to become a bus driver. His love for kids was

fulfilled every day, doing this until his retirement in 2010.

He enjoyed many things in life like playing cards, listening to old country music, traveling to see friends, and singing around the piano at family gatherings. One of his favorite things to do was spend time with his grandchildren, children, and his wife. Jo was the love of his life, and he made that known to everyone. She was his queen and he spent their years together treating her as such. Shelby and Joel always felt blessed with the unconditional love he had for them. Known to his grandchildren as Papa, he never missed a sporting event while Eric was growing up. Papa enjoyed taking him and his teams on his bus, and loved the time spent in the car with Eric listening and singing to his favorite songs, especially The Statler Brothers. With open arms he welcomed John into the family, and enjoyed the time they were able to spend together. Papa loved watching Meagan dance, whether it be in front of him blocking his TV, or on stage with her dance teams. Eric, John, and Meagan brought many smiles and laughs to Papa, and they made many wonderful memories together. Those who knew him will miss the twinkle in his eye letting them know they were loved unconditionally, the open door to visit without notice, the hand that was willing to help whenever needed, and support given to anyone in need.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Merril and Esther; a sister, Detta; a brother, Larry; and brother-in-law, Dick Holeman.

Gail is survived by his wife, Jo; daughter, Shelby and children Eric, Meagan, and John; and son, Joel.

He will be deeply missed by his beloved brother, Cecil and precious sisters, Carolyn (Rich), and Peggy;

nieces and nephews, family and friends, and many “adopted” children and grandchildren of whom he

was very fond.

A Celebration of Life will be determined at a later date. A memorial fund has been established by

Shelby Woodward, 417 Edgewood Dr., Loveland, CO 80538.

God took the strength of a mountain,

the majesty of a tree.

The warmth of a summer sun,

the calm of a quiet sea.

The generous soul of nature,

the comforting arm at night.

The wisdom of the ages,

the power of the eagle’s flight.

Then, God combined these qualities,

there was nothing more to add.

His masterpiece was now complete,

He lovingly called it “Dad”.

He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by all who knew and loved him.

A Letter to the Man I LOVE from your Loving Wife,

The Wonderful Man I Love

I never thought I'd find a man with so much strength and feeling, a man with such integrity and goodness in his heart... The more I know, the deeper I appreciate and love him as I'd cherish and enjoy a rare and priceless work of art. I realize that he may not be as perfect as I see him, yet in my eyes and in my heart, there's no one else on earth more genuine and precious than my one and only love. And there's no treasure anywhere to equal what he's worth.

♥

With you, I've found the perfect partner, the best friend, and the sweetest love anyone has ever known… And I'm so grateful life led me to you.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.allnuttloveland.com for the Woodward family.