Mrs. Betty Woodward
A Godly Wife and Mother
A Faithful Witness For
Her Lord Jesus
Mrs. Betty Woodward
One Among The Faithful
Among The Greatest Generation:
IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS

Psalm 78:4 ESV

We will not hide them from their children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.

STEADFAST FAITHFULNESS

Steadfast faithfulness day-by-day
in the face of overwhelming trials
reveal great strength in hearts and minds
of those who serve the Lord with all
the gifts He has given by His grace
in the midst of His mercies deep
as with their hands and by their words
they testify to our Lord and the joy
He bestows to those Jesus gathers
by His perfect Love to Himself and leads
as He demonstrates salvation true
in this world which needs Him more than
all the earthly powers hold—by God’s
glory He bestows on such special souls
a heritage both deep and rich to pass
around for the blessing of His very own.

The World War II generation is often called the Greatest Generation. This is, in part, because they endured a catastrophic war and then successfully took on the task of rebuilding and recovering from the widespread devastation of that war. This was my parents’ generation, and I when I look back on my years growing up in the fifties and sixties, I recall many outstanding examples of men and women who stood strong, worked hard, and served faithfully  both their families and their communities. They did so within the context of their deeply held faith lived out in strong and growing churches. These people found deep reservoirs of incredible strength to achieve amazing things through their day-to-day dependence on Jesus as their Savior and their Lord. In the midst of family, work and all of the activities those entailed; they found their foundation in their church. For them, Sundays centered on Sunday School and worship, and in the evenings, Training Union (discipleship training) and Evening Worship. Many of these same families attended Prayer Meeting on Wednesdays, along with G.A.’s for girls, R.A.’s for boys, and Sunbeams for younger children—all of these providing missions education.  Women often participated actively in WMU circles (women’s small groups focusing on Bible Study enriched with missions studies and fervent prayer and missions actions projects). Many of these men gathered for Brotherhood, also focused on Biblically based mission study and mission projects. Family life and church life were deeply intertwined as these faithful men and women found strength and direction for their lives.

At First Baptist Glencoe, where I grew up there were plenty of families who lived out their faith in this manner. I think of families like the Culbersons, the Starnes, the Owens, the Hales, the Whaleys, the Woodwards, and so many more. They all have lived out mighty testimonies of faith. In her own unique way I see Mrs. Betty Woodward as a clear example of one who has lived out an exemplary life as a strong Christian woman  building within her family a great heritage passed down from the Greatest Generation.

Howard and Betty Woodward
An American Soldier
And His British Bride
United In Chirst

She was born as Betty Clabburn on October 3, 1927 in Norwich, England. She had one older brother, Cecil, who served in the British Royal Air Force. During World War II she was working in the city library, and was having to deal with nightly bombing raids, black outs and severe rationing. At her church she met an American soldier, Howard Woodward, from Glencoe. They fell in love and got engaged to be married. His mother actually sent Betty’s gown and the bridesmaids’ dresses from the United States. During his time deployed to Egypt Howard bought almonds to be used in their wedding cake. They married on May 28, 1945. When the war ended, Howard was shipped back to the States as a soldier, so Betty followed alone on a civilian ship, leaving all of her family and friends behind. Howard and his Dad built the house where Betty still lives today. They lived in Glencoe all of these years except for a brief time in Miami, Florida.

Betty and Her Children
Judy, Roy,
Penny, Sally

Both Howard and Betty were involved in the Church throughout their marriage. She sang in the choir, helped with the youth, and taught Sunday School for over fifty years. She also helped with the WMU and G.A.’s., and Vacation Bible School. They had four children; Sally, Judy, Roy and Penny. They were married 61 years until he passed away in 2007. Betty now has nine grandchildren and twenty-five great grandchildren. For many years Betty volunteered at the Glencoe Senior Center, as she put it, “ . . . helping to feed the old people.” Obviously, she has a sly, subtle sense of humor. Betty turned 97 on October 3.

In addition to raising their children and serving faithfully in Church, Betty went to work in 1968. She retired in 1992. In the meantime she remained deeply devoted to her family and her church. Her Sunday School class loved her deeply because she obviously loved the Lord, His Word and certainly each of those she taught. She ministered to them both as individuals and as a class, as a faithful disciple in her Lord’s service.

Speaking of a Heritage:
Four Children
Nine Grandchildren
25 Great Gradchildren

In 2009 two of Betty’s daughters, Sally and Penny, and a granddaughter, Randa, took her back to England for her first visit back home. She found her hometown pretty much unchanged. So, she was able to show them around. They visited the church where she and Howard had been married, the same jewelry store where Howard had bought her wedding ring, and her old home where they had met. What a beautiful opportunity to share her own heritage!

You see what I mean. There is something special about our parents’ World War II generation, who have been called the Greatest Generation for many reasons. Basically, Betty, Harold and so many like them, loved and served God, loved and cared sacrificially for their children—and they persevered in the face of mighty challenges—in the strength of their Lord Jesus—and so, accomplished much for HIs glory throughout their lives. And Betty, bless her heart,  because she has so richly blessed our own, continues faithfully walking on. We are blessed to know her and follow in her path of faithfulness and love.

Those of us raised by Betty’s generation have been richly blessed and challenged to have followed in their footsteps. May God continue to richly reward them for all He has accomplished in our lives and in the lives of our own children and grandchildren through them. Truly He led them, and truly they followed Him faithfully to persevere and preserve so much of what is dear to us still in this life. Truly they have clearly set out the way to follow our Lord Jesus as they did, in spite of challenges that arise, as God continues to build His eternal and Hs holy kingdom.

Blessed By God
Blessed In Faithfulness
Blessed Through Service
Blessed In Love