Dorsey Wilmans Woodson

Dorsey Wilmans Woodson, 87, of Lexington, Va., died Dec. 14, 2014 following heart valve surgery. A retired journalist, Mr. Woodson specialized in medical reporting, covering clinical applications of research and the development of health care systems. He also created and edited various clinical journals. For much of his career, he was located in Washington, D.C. and New York City as editor-in-chief of Medical World News, a McGraw-Hill Publication for members of the medical profession. In 1972, he was the first U.S. medical journalist allowed to report from Moscow on the Soviet Union's health care system. He also reported for two years from London. Before specializing in medical reporting, Mr. Woodson worked for numerous newspapers, including the Little Rock Arkansas Gazette, Denver Post and Chicago Daily News and in Europe for United Press and the Wall Street Journal. Mr. Woodson was a graduate of the University of Arkansas and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where he was awarded a Pulitzer Traveling Scholarship, which he used to report from Madrid and the Borden Foundation Award. Mr. Woodson's patriotism and dedication to our nation was exemplified by his selfless and heroic service in both the Second World War and the Korean War. From 1946 to 1948, he served as a non-commissioned officer with the occupation forces in Germany. In 1951, he again answered our nation's call to duty and served as an Airborne Infantry Officer in the Korean War with the Army's 40th Infantry Division and was honorably discharged in 1954. Mr. Woodson's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Parachutist Badge. He continued his interest in the military as an avid and lifelong reader of military history. He was born in Texarkana, Texas Sept. 10, 1927 to Hays Douglas Woodson and Amanda Wilmans Woodson. The first of 13 grandchildren, he spent much of his childhood visiting his maternal grandparents, the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dorsey Wilmans, in Newport, Ark. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jean Ragan Woodson; two sons, LTC. Dorsey Ragan Woodson of Woodbridge, Va. and Yale Douglas Woodson of Peabody, Mass. and five grandchildren. A burial service in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors is being planned for the spring of 2015 for family members and friends. Memorial donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.org.