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Robert J. Woods was
born in Carlinville, Illinois, in 1920. After birth, he immediately
returned to Lincoln with his mother where he lived with his father
and two older brothers, Dick Woods and Stanley Woods. Bob's father
practiced law in Lincoln, Illinois, and the family resided on the
Northwest corner of the intersection of College Avenue and Peoria
Street in Lincoln. Bob attended the public schools in Lincoln,
including Adams School, Central School, and Lincoln High School.
Following his graduation from high school, Bob attended Yale
University, from which he graduated in 1942. He then served
approximately three years in the military towards the end of World
War II, serving in the capacity of a map reader. Subsequent to his
military service, he attended law school at the University of
Illinois, from which he graduated in 1949.
Immediately after
his graduation from law school, Bob returned to Lincoln and went
into private law practice with his father who, prior to that time,
had been stricken by a stroke and was severely limited in his
ability to practice. During Bob's early years of practice, he did a
considerable amount of trial work, particularly during the time he
was providing legal services to the local railroads with respect to
real estate tax objections. Bob's area of practice included real
estate matters, estate planning, Wills, and Trusts.
Through the course
of his legal practice, Mr. Woods trained and worked with many
different attorneys. When Roger Thompson moved to Lincoln he formed
a partnership with Mr. Woods, which firm was then known as Woods &
Thompson. That partnership continued until Roger Thompson was
elected State's Attorney, subsequent to which Bob formed a
partnership with William C. Bates at the office location of 306
Clinton Street. Other members of the firm in the early 1970s were
Dick H. Woods, Bob's nephew, and Gerald Dehner. William B. Bates,
son of William C., joined the firm of Woods & Bates in December of
1978 upon his graduation from law school. He became a partner of the
firm in 1981.
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 Mr. Woods was
married to Joan Jarrett in 1951, to whom he remained married until
his death on February 26, 1998. Bob and Jo Woods enjoyed traveling
and, in his later years of practice, were able to be away more often
for extensive travel. Mr. Woods was particularly close with his
older brother, Dick, and his children, most of whom resided in the
Kansas City area. Frequent trips were made to visit in Kansas City
throughout Bob's life.
During Bob's legal
career he exemplified the professionalism of the practice of law. He
possessed a very thorough understanding of the law in the areas in
which he practiced and was very capable of expressing his thoughts
distinctly and forcefully, if necessary. Bob was always kind to
other individuals and more than willing to assist other lawyers in
the practice when they had questions.
Bob gave freely of
his time, assisting many local organizations, particularly his
church, Trinity Episcopal Church, the Chamber of Commerce, and
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital. Bob was instrumental in many
successful fund drives at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital and was
involved from the inception with St. Clara's Manor Nursing Home.
Above and beyond
all else, Mr. Woods was generous to his community and others, not
only with his time, but with his financial resources. Most of what
Mr. Woods did philanthropically was done anonymously, which was his
nature and desire. He did not seek, nor require, recognition for his
generosity, but simply wished to help his fellow man and his
community. The generosity of Mr. Robert J. Woods and that of his
wife, Joan Woods, continues today well beyond their deaths through
the charitable efforts of the foundation they created, The Woods
Foundation.
[Text copied from file received] |
