Mark Nelson Woods

Born: June 25, 1951

Died: April 13, 2024

Mark Nelson Woods, 72, of Johns Creek, GA passed away at home on Saturday, April 13, 2024, after a courageous 10-month battle with cancer.

Mark was a graduate of Tucker High School, in Tucker, GA, and of the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. (Go Dawgs!)

Born in New York City, NY, to William and Annette Woods, both deceased, he spent his childhood years in New York City, Emerson, NJ, Richmond, VA and Tucker, GA.

He had a very successful 40-year career in sales and marketing at several consumer products and medical products companies in the South and the Northeast. It was at one of those companies, C.R. Bard in New Jersey, that he met the love of his life and his wife of 34 years, Eileen Bridget. The other joy of his life was his son, Patrick John Woods, of Brooklyn, NY. He also leaves behind a son from a previous marriage, Gary Dennis Woods of Dallas, GA.

Mark was an avid golfer and was privileged to be a legacy member of the Atlanta Athletic Club since 1975. He had many fond memories of playing golf with his dad Bill until his death in 1985. Before his cancer started to get the better of him, he had a foursome he played with nearly every week. As one of his golfing buddies shared, “He had the best grin, the best giggle, and never had a discouraging word to say about anyone.”

An avid Georgia Bulldogs fan, he never missed a game. One of his fondest memories was a road trip to South Bend, Indiana to watch his beloved Bulldogs beat the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.

Mark loved history, Broadway, documentary shows, and all kinds of music. A voracious reader, he read at least two books a week and was a great lover of all types of comedy. Eileen talks about how they used to love to go to stand up comedy clubs when they were first dating: “I first fell in love with him because he was so kind and so smart. Later I realized how funny he was. I will miss that grin and those giggles forever.”

Mark also loved the beach, having lived for a time in Melbourne Beach, Florida. He spoke of his fond memories tracking the activities of the sea turtles with his older son Gary. And despite a bout of skin cancer later in life that meant he had to avoid the sun, he still cheerfully planned many a trip for he, Eileen and Patrick to their two favorite beaches, Amelia Island, Florida, and Palm Beach in Aruba. His selflessness is perfectly summed up in the fact that he always dutifully attended to packing beach chairs in the car for Eileen and Patrick before their trips, even though he could never sit in the sun very long himself.

Mark never sought the spotlight, yet his family and friends naturally gravitated to his quiet calm, his wise counsel, and his ironclad reliability. He chose his words carefully and thoughtfully; when he spoke, others listened. Just as he radiated warm feelings of protection and safety toward his family, he had a way of immediately putting anyone he met at ease (including the many healthcare workers who came to love his graciousness—and his mischievous grin). He lived his life in service to those he held dear, and he unfailingly put the needs of others before his own.

Mark’s father Bill was one of eight children, so Mark was blessed with a wonderful cadre of aunts, uncles, and cousins, many of whom migrated from the Northeast to the Atlanta area over the last 30 years. Besides his wife Eileen and sons Patrick and Gary, Mark is survived by his brother, William Woods Jr., his sister-in-law Angela, and nephews Trey and Alex of Peachtree Corners, GA, and his sister Barbara Woods and her partner Ken Sidlowski of New York, NY.

He is also survived by Eileen’s siblings who loved him dearly: sister-in-law Sharon and husband Steve Martarano of Sacramento, CA, brother-in-law John Plain and nephew Jimmy Plain of Alameda, CA, and brother-in-law Paul Plain of Walnut Creek, CA.

A funeral mass will be held on Thursday, April 25 at 11:00 AM at All Saints Catholic Church, 2443 Mt. Vernon Road, Dunwoody, GA 20038. All are welcome to attend.

For those who wish to attend, Mark’s interment will take place immediately following the mass at Eternal Hills Memory Garden, 3700 Stone Mountain Highway, Snellville, GA 30039.

A reception celebrating Mark’s life will be held from 3:00-5:00pm in the Merion Room at the Atlanta Athletic Club, 1930 Bobby Jones Drive, Johns Creek, GA 30097.