NORMAN W. WOODS

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NORMAN W. WOODS

August 25, 1928 - April 23, 2025

Norman William Woods life journey came to a peaceful end on April 23, 2025, following a brief stay at the Grace Hospital in Winnipeg. Norman was born on August 25, 1928, in Cosham, England to John William and Lucy Woods.

Norman was predeceased by his loving wife Joan of 26 years in 1977 and is survived by his four children; Martin (Janice), Susan (Bruce), Peter, Robert (Jody) and his six grandchildren; Sarah (David and Spencer), Dirk (Ashley), Jackson, Brock, Morgan (Matt), Austin (Sydney), and his great-grandchild Holden who is the son of Dirk and Ashley. Norman was the last survivor of our family’s immediate maternal and paternal generation, and his memories will continue to live on in our hearts. Also left to mourn Norman is his longtime friend and companion Carol Lamb.

Norman enjoyed a very active life while growing up in the UK and relished playing youth soccer, as well as supporting his local professional team Portsmouth FC throughout his youth. He spent an early part of his teenage life moving inland when young children were moved for safety reasons throughout the national evacuation period during the Second World War. Norman lived apart from his parents and siblings and stayed with a family in Salisbury, England during this period until the war was over.

After the war Norman completed his schooling at 16 years of age and started working in the dockyards in the port town of Portsmouth, England. He later signed up for the Merchant Navy and worked on a cargo ship that moved goods and product from the UK all the way to South Africa working in the ship’s engine room. He enjoyed serving in the Navy and the experience sparked a lifelong interest in travel.

Norman was introduced to his future wife, Joan by his sister Margaret. After a brief courting period, Norman and Joan married on February 3,1951 and settled in Purbrook, England.

In November 1956, Norman and Joan and their two young children, Martin and Susan, emigrated to Canada for the chance to begin a better life in a country of hope, opportunity, and prosperity. Their family grew by welcoming Peter and Robert over the next four years.

Professionally, Norman’s career path in Canada began with Moore Business Forms where he worked for over a decade. He also worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company for a couple of years until accepting a job with Systems Equipment where he worked in a managerial role until retiring in the early 1990s.

Norman embraced life while living in Canada by joining and serving on several organizations for enjoyment, professional development, or community engagement. Some of these included Toastmasters, Junior Achievement, John Nagy Art Class, square dancing, bridge, chess, curling and golf. Norman made three holes-in-one which still stands as a family record.

Norman was very active and regularly exercised as a member of the Reh-Fit Centre where he attended workouts up to six times a week until he was 92 years of age before COVID disrupted his weekly routine.

When his family was young, Sundays were spent at Oasis Beach during the summer along with annual two week vacations to Clear Lake. Later in life Norman enjoyed traveling the globe with extended stays in Phoenix in the winter months, as well as vacations to Thailand, Australia, and Europe.

Dad was a gentle man with integrity, kindness, and love for his family. He led a simple life and was generous and thoughtful. He always smiled to show that he was delighted to see you. He loved following his children and grandchildren’s sporting events. He was a voracious reader and kept a list dating back to the 1970s of the thousands of books that he had read over the years.

It was Dad’s wish to not have a service. A private family interment to celebrate his life will take place on June 13, 2025, as he is eternally laid to rest alongside his devoted and dear wife Joan.

The family would like to extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the staff of the emergency and unit 5 South at Grace Hospital for their kindness, exceptional care, and comfort they provided in a respectful and professional manner to Norman during his final days.

Finally, Martin, Peter and Robert and our families would like to thank our loving sister Susan who chose to personally look after our aging father by welcoming him to live with her for the past two and a half years. Her unselfish act of love, devotion, and compassion by providing our dad with a home, care and love is sincerely appreciated by all of us.

We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through.

Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love ... and then we return home.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 17, 2025