William Brian Woods

Sergeant First Class William â€œBrianâ€ Woods, Jr., originally of Catawissa, Missouri, proudly laid down his life for his country and our freedom, when he was KIA (Killed In Action) in Ghazni, Afghanistan and ultimately died at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany 16 August 2009 from wounds suffered during Operation Enduring Freedom, assigned to the United States Army, Company B, 2nd Battalion, Special Forces Group, (Airborne) stationed out of Glen Arm, Maryland. He is preceded in death by a son, Tookie Brian Woods, who is named after a dear friend and fellow soldier with whom Brian served and died January 29, 2008, his father, William Brian Woods, Sr., who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during Vietnam and died September 14, 2000 and his grandfather, John Woods who served in the Navy during World War II and died March 24, 2000. Brian was and extraordinary husband and father and is survived by his wife, Elizabeth (nee Russell) Woods who is a native of Big Rapids, Michigan, and his two (2) daughters, Lily and Ella. He is also survived by his mother, Pamela (nee Durbin) Woods, his sisters and brother, Catrina (husband, Mike) Kelemen, Pamela (husband, Steven) Strollo, Jesse Woods and Casey Woods, Elizabethâ€™s sisters, Jennifer (husband, Troy) Burns and Megan (husband, Mark) Gifford, nieces and nephews, Hunter, Shelby, Kaytlyn, Rayna, Candace, Emily, Sarah, Mariya, Chase, Josh, Brian, Jesse, Christian, Gabe, Gauge, Seth and Mason, grandparents, Margaret Durbin, Joe Durbin and Rosemary Woods, aunts and uncles, JoAnn (husband, Larry) Suttles, Ronald (wife, Diane) Durbin, Lisa (husband, Mike) Kessels, John (wife, Kris) Woods and Robert (wife, Maxine) Woods, Elizabethâ€™ parents, Patricia Russell and David Russell, his German Shepherd, â€œDieselâ€, and lots of cousins and dear friends. Brian was raised in Catawissa, Missouri and always had a spirit of adventure and leadership, with a love of sports and the outdoors â€“ skydiving in particular. Accomplished at anything to which he set his mind, Brian was also a talented photographer and cook, and loved to entertain family and friends. Like his father and grandfather before him, Brian was passionate about serving his country, serving in the Marines and Army prior to the Special Forces. Brian will be remembered by family and friends at the following Events, with full military honors, beginning in Huntersville, North Carolina and concluding in St. Louis, Missouri. All Events are open to public for attending except for the Interment (Burial) and Memorial Park Cemetery. EVENTS Visitation Tuesday, August 25, 2009 from 2:00 until 5:00 p.m. at Raymer Funeral Home at 16901 Old Statesville Road, Huntersville, NC 28078 (708) 892-9669 with Service to follow at 6:30 p.m. at Latta Plantation Nature Preserve at 5225 Sample Road, Huntersville, NC 28078. Visitation Friday, August 28, 2009 from 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at CHAPEL HILL MORTUARY at 6300 Highway 30, Cedar Hill, MO 63016 (636) 274-4100 with Service on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. (Attendees may arrive as early as 10:00 a.m.) at Northwest High School Lecture Hall at 6005 Cedar Hill Road, Cedar Hill, MO 63016 followed by Private Interment (Procession for Family Only) at Memorial Park Cemetery at 5200 Lucas & Hunt Road, St. Louis, MO 63121. For more information, go to www.chapelhillmortuary.com PDF Printable Version

William Brian Woods

September 8, 1977 - August 16, 2009