1923
Herbert
2017
Herbert Woods
April 6, 1923 — February 23, 2017
Herbert Raymond Woods, 93, went to be with God and family on February 23, 2017. He was residing in the Burlington household of Perham Living, Perham, MN.
Herbert was born April 6 1923 at home on a 120 acre dairy (Jersey) farm near Austin, MN to John Raymond and Gertrude (Graves) Woods. In 1924 the family moved to a farm called Bryn Mawr Farm (also a Jersey farm) in South St. Paul, MN.
Jersey cattle were Herb's life. He milked his first cow by hand at age five and by the age of nine he was running two units of milking machines. He showed Jerseys at the Minnesota State Fair and won so may championships that by 1940 he was no longer allowed to compete.
Herb graduated from South St. Paul High School in 1940. He registered for college at the University of MN St. Paul Campus planning on becoming a veterinarian, but his father became ill and died in October of 1941. Herb then assumed the herd management job his father had been doing at Bryn Mawr Farm.
Herb and Maxine Cooper were married June 2, 1942 at the Methodist Church in Dunnell, MN. They lived at Bryn Mawr Farm until March 1943 when they purchased a milk route at Sherburn, MN, later selling the routes and farming on rented land at Farmington, Dunnell and Sherburn, MN. In 1949, Herb and Max bought a farm near Dent, MN and continued to raise purebred Jersey cattle. In 1956 he sold his equipment and cattle and rented out the farm. The family moved to South St. Paul where he worked for the Denesen Company, Twin City Iron and Wire Company and Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. Later Herb managed a farm near Polk County, Iowa, before moving back to his farm in Dent in 1959 where he lived until retiring in 1982 to a home they built on McDonald Lake near Dent, MN.
Herb was president of the local Farm Bureau Federation, active in the Dent United Methodist Church, and served as sexton and president of the Pleasant Hill Cemetery Association for 20 years.
During retirement Herb and Max traveled often, enjoying bus tours and cruising for their 50th wedding anniversary. They became snowbirds spending winters in Raymondville, TX.
Herb was preceded in death in 2013 by his wife of 71 years Maxine; his parents J. Raymond and Gertrude Woods; his sisters Alice Woods and Edith Woods Zehnder; and his brother Harold Woods.
Herb is survived by he and Max's two sons and their families: Bradley (Dolores) Woods of Perham along with their children Wendy (Tom) Opine of Northfield, MN and Thaddeus (Naila) Woods of Anthem, AZ; Michael (Brenda) Woods of Springfield, MO along with their children Erin Woods of Springfield MO, Katrina (Blake) McGee of Laramie, WY and Vanessa (Ryan) Scudder of Springfield, MO; five great-grandchildren Brennan Woods; Liam and Everett McGee; and Claire and Sean Scudder; a sister-in-law Dorothy Woods of Dent, MN; along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Herbert was born April 6 1923 at home on a 120 acre dairy (Jersey) farm near Austin, MN to John Raymond and Gertrude (Graves) Woods. In 1924 the family moved to a farm called Bryn Mawr Farm (also a Jersey farm) in South St. Paul, MN.
Jersey cattle were Herb's life. He milked his first cow by hand at age five and by the age of nine he was running two units of milking machines. He showed Jerseys at the Minnesota State Fair and won so may championships that by 1940 he was no longer allowed to compete.
Herb graduated from South St. Paul High School in 1940. He registered for college at the University of MN St. Paul Campus planning on becoming a veterinarian, but his father became ill and died in October of 1941. Herb then assumed the herd management job his father had been doing at Bryn Mawr Farm.
Herb and Maxine Cooper were married June 2, 1942 at the Methodist Church in Dunnell, MN. They lived at Bryn Mawr Farm until March 1943 when they purchased a milk route at Sherburn, MN, later selling the routes and farming on rented land at Farmington, Dunnell and Sherburn, MN. In 1949, Herb and Max bought a farm near Dent, MN and continued to raise purebred Jersey cattle. In 1956 he sold his equipment and cattle and rented out the farm. The family moved to South St. Paul where he worked for the Denesen Company, Twin City Iron and Wire Company and Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. Later Herb managed a farm near Polk County, Iowa, before moving back to his farm in Dent in 1959 where he lived until retiring in 1982 to a home they built on McDonald Lake near Dent, MN.
Herb was president of the local Farm Bureau Federation, active in the Dent United Methodist Church, and served as sexton and president of the Pleasant Hill Cemetery Association for 20 years.
During retirement Herb and Max traveled often, enjoying bus tours and cruising for their 50th wedding anniversary. They became snowbirds spending winters in Raymondville, TX.
Herb was preceded in death in 2013 by his wife of 71 years Maxine; his parents J. Raymond and Gertrude Woods; his sisters Alice Woods and Edith Woods Zehnder; and his brother Harold Woods.
Herb is survived by he and Max's two sons and their families: Bradley (Dolores) Woods of Perham along with their children Wendy (Tom) Opine of Northfield, MN and Thaddeus (Naila) Woods of Anthem, AZ; Michael (Brenda) Woods of Springfield, MO along with their children Erin Woods of Springfield MO, Katrina (Blake) McGee of Laramie, WY and Vanessa (Ryan) Scudder of Springfield, MO; five great-grandchildren Brennan Woods; Liam and Everett McGee; and Claire and Sean Scudder; a sister-in-law Dorothy Woods of Dent, MN; along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Schoeneberger Funeral & Cremation Service – Perham, MN. (218) 346-5175 www.schoenebergerfh.com
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