Woodson R. Roddy, 87 Clinton died Friday January 12, 2018 at Golden Living Center Westwood. He was born February 13, 1930 to Edward F. and Elsia (Dodson) Roddy of Harveyville, KS.

Husband, father, artist, teacher, craftsman. Growing up in central Kansas in the Flint Hills region of central Kansas, he developed an interest in aircraft in the 1930's and 40's. Moved with his family to Liberty, KS near Coffeyville. Woodson graduated high school in Coffeyville, KS and served in the US Army stationed in Germany. After returning to the southeast Kansas as a veteran, he met and married Geraldine Simmons of Coffeyville, KS August 12, 1956.

His college years were in at Coffeyville Community Junior College (1952-53), Pittsburg State Teachers College, BA 1954-1957. After graduating he became a commercial artist in Tulsa, OK. Tiring of commercial art, he began teaching junior high art in Iola, KS. The family moved to Clinton, MO in 1962, where he taught fine art at the Clinton High School from 1962 to 1990.

During his tenure at the Clinton High School, he earned a Master of Fine Arts from the University Missouri, Columbia 1967-1971. He worked as a fireman the summer of 1962, painted signs for D&M Signs for many years, was the local gunsmith until 1968. He also was the founder of the Golden Valley Muzzleloaders Club and built 46 black powder flintlock and percussion rifles. He loved flying and was building a Starduster 2, an aerobatic biplane. In fact when he was a young boy he couldn't decide if he wanted to be a professional Indian or an airplane pilot.

After retiring from teaching fine art in Clinton High School he pursued his love of duck hunting, and made working wooden decoys, which he showed at St. Charles, IL and Easton, MD for many years.

He is best remembered locally as the eccentric Art teacher at Clinton High School, if you were in his advanced art classes or close to the family, you got involved in his particular interest of the time. Whether it was repairs to Volkswagen Beetles, flying rubber powered model aircraft, wooden boat building, he was almost always available to talk and demonstrate the ways to accomplish these for yourselves. In his art class, he had a one stringed violin used for still life painting, if you were lucky he might play happy birthday to you.

Woodson is preceded in death by his parents and 1 brother, Ed Frank Roddy.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years Gerry and 3 sons, Kent (Stephanie), Shawn and Brice, two grandsons Nolan and Weston and one niece Carol Jones.

Memorial service will be Sunday, January 28, 2018 at 2:00 pm with visitation one hour prior to service at Vansant-Mills Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Duck's Unlimited, C.A.R.E. or to Twin Lakes Hospice and may be left in care of the funeral home. Fond memories and condolences may be left online at www.vansant-millsfuenralhome.com .

Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home of Clinton.