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Charles Pharis Woody
July 28, 1930 - July 17, 2016
Burial Date July 27, 2016
Graveside services are scheduled for Mr. Woody at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, WA for Wednesday, July 27, 2016 at 12:30 p.m.
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Charles Pharis Woody was born in Joplin, Missouri, on July 28, 1930. He died on July 17, 2016, at Harrison Hospital in Bremerton, Washington. He was the second child in a family of ten children. He had four brothers and five sisters. He was a member of the Cherokee nation. Charles joined the U.S. Navy right after graduating from Joplin High School in 1947.
Charles saw the world while in the Navy. He had the tattoos to prove it! On one arm was a large eagle and on the other arm a knife with a snake. Near his thumb on one hand was a small Navy anchor and in the same place near his thumb on the other hand a star. Most of those he got while on liberty in Yokosuka, Japan. He was also in Korea and at the big U.S. Navy Base at Subic Bay in the Philippines.
Most of his time in the Navy was sea duty. He served on troop transports, fast attack transports and on the USS Midway. The Midway was the last aircraft carrier of the World War II era and until 1955 was the largest ship in the world. During his tour of duty on the Midway he was a Bosun’s mate and ran a gun crew. Some of the other ships he served on were the USS Lindenwold, USS Wantuck, USS Lenawee, and the USS Markab. While serving on the USS Midway he was injured during his hard-hat deep sea dive training and received an honorable medical discharge.
While in the Navy he married Florence Land and had five daughters (Barbara, Sherry, Karen, Cindy, and Charlene).
After his discharge, he went to business college in Bremerton on the GI Bill. While attending school he worked for the Toll Bridge Authority in Bremerton, Washington. After completing his schooling he worked as an accountant for the Highway Department in Seattle, then the State Parks Commission and the Department of Social and Health Services in Olympia, Washington.
After retiring from the state in 1979, he and Florence traveled to many places including Australia, China, England, Japan, and Sweden. He and Florence also did a fair amount of RVing. When they owned an airstream trailer they enjoyed going to some of the rallies in Arizona where he was a champion Canasta player. They also loved going camping with their family and friends.
Charles and Florence moved to the Washington Veterans Home in Retsil, Washington, in 2010. Florence passed away May 6, 2013.
Charles leaves behind five daughters, four sons-in-law, 13 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren, and three great, great granddaughters.
Charles was preceded in death by his wife, Florence Woody, parents Billy and Euna Woody, his brothers Bill Woody, Jr., Bob Woody and David Woody and sisters Dorothy Wells and Ellen Lowe. He is survived by one brother, Jack Woody and three sisters, Jody Ketcher, Sandy Cuthbertson and Sharon Edwards.