12/10/2024
Michael Bayard Woods was born on July 14,1947 on North Island Air Station in San Diego, California. Growing up mostly between Pacific Beach CA and El Cajon CA surrounded by love and music, Michael had a good start to his life. Michael and his wife Darlene met at a football game between their rival high schools. They enjoyed 6 years of dating before being wed for 56 years.
He began his military career as a radio operator in Vietnam (1967 – 1968). It was very difficult to go into Vietnam as a radio operator and come home alive, but Michael managed to defy the odds and made it home with no time to spare 12 days before his own wedding to Darlene. It was at this time in his service that he was christened with the nickname, “Woody.” Michael got out of the Marine Corps in 1969. Michael was very proud of his service in the Marine Corps and was known for collecting anything related to the Corps. Michael returned to the Marine Corps via the Marine Corps Officer Degree program. While stationed in Camp Pendleton, CA Michael and Darlene welcomed a son, Jason. Five years later while stationed in Quantico, VA they welcomed their daughter Rachel. His military service eventually brought him to Colorado Springs as the Communication Officer for the newly formed Joint Space Command Center. This is where Michael would eventually retire from his service in 1989 after having achieved the rank of Major, although he remained associated with the military throughout the rest of his life, including working at the Air Force Academy.
Throughout his entire life, Michael always had an enthusiasm for learning and sharing his knowledge. This he first showed when he was a summer camp counselor at the YMCA in Sequoia NP 1963 and 1964. One thing that very few people who met him would expect was that he loved to crochet, knit, and sew. Three skills he learned, two on his own, while his mother taught him to knit by him sitting on the floor across from her as she was left-handed. He received both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in computer science. He had an incredible mind for anything mathematical or analytical and was known for teaching this wherever he could, including solving problems with his grandkids. He also taught part-time at Colorado Tech to share his knowledge and experience related to computer science. With his intelligence also came little nuances that his family loved including always being found keeping his mind busy with puzzles and sudoku, assigning a dinosaur name for each child he would patiently teach them about, and always having a new memory exercise to test people with. Along with many card games, dominoes, chess and checkers when his grandkids were too young for chess.
With his curiosity also came a love for exploring the world around him. Always active, Michael loved to backpack, camp, race walk, and much more. He participated in the Senior World Racewalking competition in England. He also loved traveling to new places whether it was on his motorcycle or flying across the world. He and Darlene particularly shared a love with visiting the British Isles. Once he had finished his travels, he loved returning home to his beloved dog and a nice glass of red wine or Scotch until he would get up early the next day and begin a new adventure.
Michael was also incredibly passionate about music since childhood. He began by playing in the band and was known for his French Horn playing, most notably playing in the Rose Parade with his high school marching band (in 1962). He was active in the church music setting, notably later in his life he was very beloved for his playing of the bells. He had over 50 years experience singing in barbershop, having participated in and worked as an administrator, and judge for many competitions. He even became the head of the contest administrators for three years. He founded the Peak Experience chorus which meets at St. Paul’s. When they were at Sunrise he became the bell director, which he continued after the previous bell director left. He and Darlene also sang in a folk group called The Old Crusty Minstrels, where he played the guitar and banjo for 20 years. Although his achievements in his musical career were great, his children and grandchildren also had the joy of always being surrounded by music in his home and always being ready to break out into a song. To this day his love of music lives on in those that are survived by him.
Micheal passed on July 27, 2024. He is proceeded in death by his loving mother and father, sister-in-law Yvonne Woods and his grandson Taylor Woods. He is survived by his wife Darlene Woods, his brother Christopher Woods (Patti) their children Jason Woods (Heather), and Rachel (Patrick) Ford, their grandchildren Trevor and Olivia Woods, James (Beth) Ford, Aaron (Addi) Ford, Olivia and Kayla Bruce, and their great-grandchildren Daisy and Brantley Ford, and Iris Bruce.
