Donald Ray Woods, 72, of Apex, North Carolina, passed away suddenly from an unexpected illness on the morning of April 6th, 2024, at WakeMed Cary Hospital. His wife, sister, and daughter were with him.
Don was born in Brevard, North Carolina, on February 16th, 1952. The eldest of four children, Don cultivated interests in drawing, sculpture, aviation, and exploring nature. As a young man, he leisurely (some of his peers may have said too-leisurely) drove the scenic, twisting roads and parkways of the Blue Ridge Mountains near his home. Don was a man who didn’t rush. He enjoyed the beautiful scenery, not the thrill of high speeds. Don didn’t take unnecessary risks either, although he may have once snuck into a Frank Zappa concert. Don’s steadiness would have made him a good pilot. More than one person was surprised that he didn’t pursue aviation as a career. Don often chalked that up to his height. At six foot two, his height could have been prohibitively tall for a pilot at one time.
Don graduated from Brevard High School in 1970 and studied art at Brevard College, an institution where his father was the respected and long-standing head of housekeeping. Don moved to Greensboro to continue his art studies. Initially attracted to the well-regarded art program at UNC Greensboro, he ultimately switched majors and studied biology. In 1977, he graduated from UNCG with a Bachelor’s of Science. With a twinkle in his eye, Don often said that biology majors were failed art majors.
Lillian “Judy” Griffin, Don’s future wife, was also a student at UNCG. They first met when Don playfully tricked Judy, a tall woman herself, into giving him the front seat in their friend’s Volkswagen Beetle. They married in Greensboro in the fall of 1980. Don and Judy, both with biology degrees from UNCG, went on to learn computer programming at Guilford Community College. They entered the burgeoning field of computer programming at Burlington Industries. In the spring of 1984, their only child, Briana, was born.
Don and his family moved to Durham, North Carolina, in the late 1980’s and then to Apex, North Carolina, in the mid 1990’s. Don worked as a computer programmer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina from 1986 until his retirement in 2014.
Don’s home garden was a passion project; it was a joining of his love for art and nature. He took inspiration from Japanese gardens and the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains where he grew up.
Kind, practical, and patient, Don also took impeccable care of the people in his life. He gave his daughter every opportunity she could want, whether that was encouraging her interest in drawing and photography or indulging her frequent requests for take-out Thai food. Don was warm and accepting. His kindness wasn’t blindness to peoples’ faults; he was discerning, but didn’t hold grudges or proudly announce his dislikes.
For a boy in love with aviation in the mid-twentieth century, the planes that sprayed pesticides on crops near Don’s home would have been an irresistible sight. That agricultural practice exposed him to chemicals that may have caused him to develop Parkinson’s disease in his sixties. Though he didn’t celebrate the illness, he was never bitter. He bore it with grace, dignity, and patience; that’s the kind of person he was. The cancer diagnosis, a complete surprise, came less than ten days before his passing. Don was sweet and grateful to everyone who helped him, especially his wife. Don and Judy were married for 44 wonderful years. Their life together was filled with love, travel, devotion, laughter, and, on more than one occasion, matching hats.
On the morning of Don’s passing, his grieving family returned home to find his garden vibrant. Green and blooming, it was radiant and other-worldly in the morning light.
Don is survived by his wife, Judy Woods of Apex, NC, his daughter Briana (Amos Baynes) Woods of Raleigh, NC, his brother Bobby Woods of Brevard, NC, his sister Judy Harmon of Reidsville, NC, his nieces Elyce (Kyle) Luegers of Reidsville, NC, and Sage (Sean) Morris of Los Angeles, CA, his nephew Ticey Griffin of Salt Lake City, UT, and his pampered lap dog, Teddy.
Don was preceded in death by his mother Jessie Faye Woods, his father Jesse Woods, his brother Cecil Woods, and his brother-in-law Mike Harmon.
A Celebration of Life is currently being planned and his family, like Don, won’t rush.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Environmental Defense Fund and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
If you’d like to donate, please see the links below.
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