Curtis Charles “Woody” Woolever of Oak Harbor died April 30, 2007 in University Hospital, Seattle, of cancer. He was 42.
Born July 22, 1964 in Mount Vernon to Roderick Bruce and Sandra Elizabeth (Troescher) Woolever, he grew up on Whidbey Island and graduated from Oak Harbor High School in 1983.
As a young child, he made several appearances in the family’s Living Nativity on Highway 20, near Ault Field Road, being thrilled to graduate from the manger after the birth of his younger brother to become an angel then a wiseman and an astronaut (“Jesus came for all men for all time.”).
His first job, as a young man, was delivering balloon bouquets in clown attire for a local gift shop; he was one of the early employees of El Cazador Restaurant.
Woody joined the Navy Reserve and completed AQAN (A) School before returning to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island for active duty.
After returning to civilian life, he relocated to San Francisco where he was employed at the Radio Shack store on Market Street during the earthquake of 1989; he worked more than 36 hours straight — until the shelves were empty — selling batteries and battery-operated devices to area residents.
While he was in Oak Harbor for his 10th high school reunion, friends insisted he go to a doctor about his persistent cough. Within hours he was en route to University Hospital, Seattle, where he had his first non-Hodgkins lymphoma surgery. A fist-sized tumor was removed from over his heart.
Woody returned to San Francisco for treatment at Kaiser Hospital.
He spent time in Pennsylvania to be near his father and stepmother before returning, in October 2005, to Oak Harbor, where he sang in the choir at First United Methodist Church.
Woody was a musician from his early years, studying piano with Shirley Greenstreet and organ with Barbara White. At school, he was accompanist for Concert Choir and wanted to become proficient at playing organ. He enjoyed solving puzzles, including those of language (from the tongues of Middle Earth to contemporary Spanish) and cooking — taking pride in his “mile-high” Almond Roca cream pie.
He never married.
Survivors include his mother, Zeller Westabrook (aka Sandi Woolever), of Port Angeles; father and stepmother, the Revs. Bruce and Pat Woolever, New Bloomfield, and brother and sister-in-law, Frederick Robert Bruce and Krislyn Woolever, Landisburg, all of Pennsylvania; brothers-and sisters-in-law Derek Jerome and Robbin Woolever of Hurst, Texas, and Ryan Scott and Carla Woolever of La Mesa, Calif.; sister Cynthia Elizabeth Louise Dawson of Juneau, Alaska; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Mr. Woolever will be remembered at the Evensong Service Wednesday, May 9, at 6:30 p.m., in First United Methodist Church, said the Rev. David Lura. All are welcome to attend. The church is located at 1050 SE Ireland St. There will be no burial; Woody donated his body to the University of Washington for scientific research.
Memorial donations may be made to First United Methodist Church.
