Robert Emery Woody

Rev. Robert Emery Woody, 85, went to be with his Lord on December 3, 2014, at the Atkins Care Center. He was born May 16, 1929, in Sheldon, Missouri to Emery A. and Clydia E. Wilson Woody. He graduated from Sheldon High School, in 1947, Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma in 1958, Perkins School of Theology in Dallas Texas and courses of study graduated in 1974. He was licensed to preach December 1, 1953 at the First Church of the Nazarene, Garden City, Kansas, and at the time he was a elementary school principal/teacher at Pierceville, Kan., and in 1955 became a pastor in Texas and for many years taught school in Missouri, Kansas, Texas, and Arkansas. From 1958 until 1970. He was a bi-vocational both as a pastor of Nazarene Churches in Kansas and Texas, and a student pastor of the German Congregational Church in Weatherford, Okla., while a student at Southern Nazarene University, Bethany, Okla. He taught school in order to help support his family, In 1970 He made a career change and became a United Methodist Minister/Pastor where he served United Methodist Church as pastor of the following Churches; Tigert/Morning Star, and Gardner/New Salem, all in Hot Springs, Mineral Springs/Wakefield, Mineral Springs, Ark., Lewisville/Buckner, Lewisville, Ark., Carr Memorial, Pine Bluff, Hazen/DuValls, Hazen, Ark., Fairview, Camden, Ark., Augusta/Tupelo, Augusta, Ark., Nettieton/Mt.Carmel, Jonesboro, Ark., Griffin Memorial/ Schugtown, Paragould, Ark. He officially retired from Griffin Memorial/Schugtown Charge in 1994 and was appointed to the Atkins United Methodist Church in June of 1994 where he served until June of 2006. He loved being a pastor since October 1955, serving our Lord and helping people find a better way of life for them to live. Thank the Lord for his call, His saving and keeping grace that He provides for all who will follow Him. One of the highlights in his life was when the "People for a Better Atkins" selected him to be "Citizen of the year" in 1999, He was a member of the Mineral Springs Masonic Lodge "522 and a 32-degree, member of the Scottish Rite in the "Valley of Little Rock, Orient of Arkansas." He was preceded in death by his parents, wifes, Lois Rakestraw Woody and Iva Neil Reeves Woody, son, Robert Allen Woody, brother, Glen H. Woody and brother-in-law, Al Albinson and Jack Rakestraw. He is survived by his daughter, Vicki Woody Norman Boren and her husband Doug of Atkins; three grandsons, Robert Woody Norman and wife Malynda, Michael Paul Norman and wife Monica of Houston, TX, Ryan Howard Woody and wife Abigail of Texarkana, six great-grandchildren, Cortney Elizabeth Norman, Jacob Paul Norman and Gracie Ann Norman, and Conner Paul Norman, Jackson and Mason Woody, sister, Mary Sue and husband La Don Potts of Jerico Springs, Mo., brothers and sisters-in-law, Fred and Carol Rakestraw of Lamar, Mo., J.L. Moss of Hot Springs, Oda Mae Woody of Forsyth, Mo., Nancy "Rakestraw" Weinstein of St. Francis, Kan., Sue and Larry Gowen of Fayetteville, Jo Ellen Albinson of Russellville, Lavada and Elmer Padgett of Russellville, Linda and Don Burnham of Russellville and Mary and John LaFave of Russellville. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m., Friday, December 5 at Lemley Funeral Home in Atkins. The funeral will be held 10 a.m., Saturday, December 6, at Lemley Chapel with Rev. Gail Brooks and Rev. Naomi Rogers officiating. Pallbearers are his grandsons and Honorary Pallbearers will be his brothers and sister ministers of the Arkansas Area United Methodist preachers. Online obituary and condolences are available at www.lemleyfuneral.com.