My Papaw 

Mike Woody was a lot of things to a lot of different people. He was a brother, a father, a husband, a grandfather, a friend, a boss and much more. But to me, he was my grandfather and a hero. 

Most of the time that I spent with Papaw was spent on Douglas lake catching our limit of Crappie for the next fish fry. Those fishing trips mean much more to me now than they ever did then. We did more than fish on that boat though. He would tell stories, jokes and give life lessons and advice. On night fishing trips we would watch the sky for shooting stars, aircraft and on the right nights we would be able to spot the international space station. The life lessons I was taught by him are forever embedded into the foundation of who I am as a person. Without even realizing it, he was teaching me patience and respect for other people and animals and much more just by going fishing.

Papaw had a heart of gold. To know him was to love him. He cared so much for everyone and everything. He hated for anyone to suffer or need for anything. His random acts of kindness were anything from holding doors open to giving away a free vehicle.

I could continue to go on and on about him. I just hope that I can become at least half the man he was. I hope that as time goes on, answers will come out as to why he left the world the way he did. It doesn’t make any sense at all. 

The world would be a much better place if we could all be a little more like Mike Woody. ❤️

Morgan Monroe