Richard "Dick" Edwin Woodruff Jr.

Richard, or Dick, if you knew him before 1994 when he first became a teacher, was known for

being an amazing husband, father, teacher, coach, friend, and colleague. Born on October 6,

1960, in Wiesbaden Germany as the first born in a traveling Air Force family, he grew up in

Wichita Falls, TX. He spent most of his time playing basketball, singing in the Acapella school

choir, and beating up on his three younger brothers. He attended Austin College in Sherman, TX

where he graduated with a Business Administration degree, played college basketball, was a

founding member of a chapter of a national fraternity and met his best friend and love of his life,

Gigi.

After working for his family's small business for the first part of his career, he returned to school

to pursue another degree in teaching history. After completing his degree at Sam Houston

University, he joined Conroe Independent School district where he served 28 years in many

different roles. In addition to teaching social studies at Conroe High, he served as a cosponsor for Student Council, and as the Social Studies Department Chair. He also served as an

assistant principal at Travis Intermediate and ended his career as the social studies curriculum

coordinator for the district.

Richard loved all aspects of his time with CISD. As a teacher, when he wasn’t running student

council meetings or planning for the next school dance, he was helping the faculty win the

Faculty Senior basketball game or onboarding first-year teachers. You knew he made an impact

in the classroom when former students would stop him around town and tell him that they had

also decided to study history and become a teacher because of the way he handled his classroom

and brought history to life! Those were the moments and conversations he loved the most.

When Richard wasn’t in the classroom you would either find him at the Conroe YMCA playing

basketball, fishing on Lake Conroe on his beloved fishing boat, at one of Corinne’s many

sporting events or "parenting" seven exchange students.

Richard is survived by his wife, Gigi Lawson Woodruff, daughter, Corinne Coulter, son-in-law

Chase Coulter, and grandson, Cameron Coulter; brothers, Finlay, Phillip, Robert and their

families. He is preceded in death by his parents, his mother, Nancy Tycer Woodruff, and his

father, Richard Woodruff, Sr.

In lieu of flowers, Richard has requested that donations be made in his memory to the Conroe

ISD Education Foundation in support of teacher education, recognition and development.

https://conroe-isd-education-foundation-inc.square.site/

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, March 12, at Conroe High School

Auditorium, located at 3200 West Davis, Conroe, Texas 77304. A family visitation will be held

from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. followed by a service at 10:30 a.m