Joanna Woody

(From Cheney-Witt Funeral Chapel)

Joanna Woody, age 96, a former resident of rural Bronaugh, Missouri and more recently of the Presbyterian Village in Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Friday, May 24, 2024, in Ft. Scott. She was born February 29, 1928, in Vernon County, Missouri near what was Swartz, Missouri, the daughter of Willard Earl Foster and Pearlie Wilma Hawkins Foster. 

Joanna attended grade school at Eureka and McGugh country schools. She later attended Bronaugh High School through her Junior year. Her family moved to rural Redfield, Kansas and Joanna graduated from the Uniontown High School with the Class of 1946. 

Joanna married James R. “Jim” Woody on April 19, 1946, after he returned home from serving in World War II. They settled on a farm in Vernon County. Joanna joined the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Garland where she and her family attended when she was a child. After her husband’s conversion, they both joined and help start Pleasant View Baptist Church. 

After the church disbanded, they moved their membership back to Mt. Zion where Joanna is still a member. Over the years, she served as pianist and Sunday school teacher and also helped with Vacation Bible School. 

In earlier years, Joanna served as a 4-H cooking and sewing leader when her children were members. She was also a member of TOPS for over twenty years. She will be remembered for her homemade pies, dill pickles and pickled beets. Joanna’s desire was to serve her Lord in any way she was able and to see her children and grandchildren accept Christ and live for Him.

Joanna is survived by her children, Linda VanSickle (Gary) of Ft. Scott, Kansas, Gloria Guzman (Frank) of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Dr. Michael Woody (Linda) of Carthage, Missouri, Cynthia Leech of Grandview, Missouri, Dedra Woebbecke (Michael) of Shawnee, Kansas and Marty Woody (Gayle) of Bronaugh, Missouri. Also surviving is a daughter-in-law, Muriel Woody of Webb City, Missouri; twenty-one grandchildren, and numerous great and great-great-grandchildren. 

Joanna was preceded in death by her husband, Jim on January 19, 2008. She was also preceded in death by two sons, Willard Woody and Rev. Ron Woody, a brother, Calvin Foster and two sisters, Barbara Fay Simmons and Virginia Flo Willard and a grandson.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, May 31st at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 P.M. Thursday at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Mt. Zion Mission Department or Samaritan’s Purse and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.