Harold Gene Woods

Woods, Harold G., age 74, of Knoxville, passed away on Monday January 20, 2014 at his home. He was a member of Island Home Baptist Church. He served as a Green Beret with the 7th Special Forces out of Fort Bragg North Carolina. Harold worked at Aluminum Company of America in Alcoa as a mechanic specialist and union representative for 37 years and was a proud member of Steelworker’s Local 309; was president of Knoxville-Oak Ridge Area Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO for 24 years; president and board member of Tennessee State AFL-CIO; National AFL-CIO, Political Coordinator. He served on the following community boards: East Tennessee PBS channel 2/15 as Treasurer; Cornerstone of Recovery, Tennessee State Democratic Party Executive Committee, charter member of Project Help, United Way, Boy Scouts of America, Child and Family Services, American Red Cross, and National Family Services of America; appointed by several TN Governors to the Tennessee Corrections Industries State Board(TRICOR) as Labor Representative; Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee, Knox County Industrial Development Board; and the Private Industry Council. Member of the following: Steelworker Organization of Active Retirees, IATSE Local 197, and OPEIU Local 144, and Meade’s Quarry Neighborhood Group. Harold was awarded: the 1989 National United Way Joseph Beirne Labor Award of the Year, the 2001 National CAC Jayne Thomas Grassroots Volunteer Award of the Year, Member of Leadership Knoxville Class of 1985 (the first class) and Leadership Blount Class of 1992. Tennessee PTA Life Membership, the George Meany Boy Scout Volunteer Labor Award, AFL-CIO Labor Council Community Services Award, and recently received the 2013 Truman Champions Award from the Knox County Democratic Party in recognition for decades of service in improving the lives of working people in the state of Tennessee.

He was preceded in death by: parents Sherman J. and Zora Woods; brother Tommy L. Woods; sisters Barbara Barnes and Edria Cole; grandparents Edmond C. and Belle M. Woods; niece Tammy Woods; and nephew John Terrell Barnes. Survivors include: wife of 52 years, Sylvia Woods; children and grandchildren with whom he was very active in the lives of and proud of: Harold Woods and David and wife Lora Woods; grandchildren: Steven Woods, Sara Woods, and Hannah Woods; brother, Woody Woods; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, January 22nd from 5-7 pm at Island Home Baptist Church with the funeral service to follow at 7:00 pm with Rev. Tim Fleeger officiating. Family and friends will meet at Berry Funeral Home at 10:00am on Thursday to go in procession to Woodlawn Cemetery for the interment service at 11:00am. Pallbearers will be: Harold Woods, David Woods, Steven Woods, Woody Woods, Kevin Woods, and Jimmy Courtney. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Island Home Baptist Church, 2323 Island Home Ave. Knoxville, TN 37920 or CAC Mobile Meals (a United Way organization), 2247 Western Ave. Knoxville, TN 37921. Condolences may be offered at www.berryfuneralhome.com