Mac Woodward

MAC WOODWARD, State Geologist Emeritus, died Wednesday, July 30 at the age of 81. He was a devoted husband and father who contributed more than fifty years to the study and promotion of geology in Arkansas. He divided his time between Little Rock and Magnolia. Born to the late Walter Ashton Galloway Woodward and Mary Davis Woodward, Mr.Woodward grew up in Magnolia in the oil and gas industry, working for his father as a young geologist. He fostered a lifelong love of Arkansas history from his mother, who was a former chairman of the Arkansas History Commission an avid collector of any book related to Arkansas. Mr. Woodward was a lifetime member of the Arkansas Historical Association and continued this collection. He was also a collector of Arkansas maps; being particularly fond of an 1871 map of Arkansas compiled by David Fulton Shall, a cousin and the first cartographer of the state. Mr. Woodward was one of eight geologists who compiled the most recent geologic map of Arkansas, completed in 1976. Mr. Woodward held dual degrees in history and geology and attended the University of Arkansas, Southern Arkansas University and Southern Methodist University. He was a 32nd degree mason and a lifelong Methodist. The Arkansas Geological Survey was particularly important to Mr. Woodward where he began work in 1963 as a geologist; was appointed State Geologist by Governor Mike Huckabee and was still serving as Assistant State Geologist at the time of his death- leaving the Survey twice in fifty years, once when asked by Governor David Pryor to direct the Office of Energy, whose charge was to navigate the state through the new energy crisis; a legislative liaison and when he took time off for private consulting. He was predeceased by his brother, Walter Ashton Galloway Woodward Jr., his sister, Mary Ann McLaughlin and her husband, Don. He is survived by his wife of more than 50 years, Dorothy Thomas Woodward, son, M. Bruce Woodward both of Little Rock and Magnolia; brother, Joe D. Woodward and wife Deane Reid Woodward of Magnolia and Little Rock, and his sister-in-law, Anne Burke Woodward of Magnolia and Houston, Texas. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the First United Methodist Church, Magnolia, pastor's discretionary fund; St. James United Methodist Church in Little Rock or to the charity of your choice. A private memorial will be held at the First United Methodist Church, Magnolia on Friday, August 1, 2014 under the direction of Lewis Funeral Home, Inc. in Magnolia. To sign the online guestbook or share a memory visit www.lewisfuneralhome.biz.