Verna Dean (Deana) Woodward left this earthly life on August 25, 2025, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. She was born on May 23, 1935, in rural Wayne City, Illinois. Deana was blessed to be born into a long life to loving parents, Clarence E. and Sarah Estes née Bailey Wolfe, the fourth child of six siblings.

She had a humble entrance into this world at home in a log cabin with a midwife. This was in the middle of the Great Depression when her parents were squatting an empty 1860's era cabin on a 60-acre land grant plot. The land grant migration was when the Wolfe family settled Hickory Hill Township of Wayne County, Illinois. In the fall, Deana's father bought the farm that she was raised on by paying $20.00 down.

Deana's mother was a Bailey, and we have not verified everything with written documents. However, the oral story passed down through the family, says that Joseph S. Bailey, and his bride, Martha Jane Hillhouse, (her father was Robert Dickey Hillhouse). The Dickey's well knew how to file those land grant papers! Family land from the grant was used to build the Bailey Church and Cemetery, which is near where the Arrington Prairie (Dickeyville) Church were located. Verna Dean grew up well supported by a small Wolfe family and a large Bailey family.

Her Grandmother Wolfe, who died when Verna Deana was eleven years of age, told her that when she grew up, if she wanted to join the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, she would be eligible, as many of her McElhaney family had joined in the 1920's. It was always on her "bucket" list. However, she did not get around to putting her family tree together until she was 78 years of age and finally joined the Edwardsville Chapter of the DAR. Shortly after joining, she became the Regent for the Edwardsville Chapter. She hoped that one day, one of her descendants will track down and document the Bailey family history or the Dickey family history. Her genealogy research is documented on Ancestry.com and at Find a Grave and is available for family members that are researching their family history.

Deana attended the one room Brown Grade School. On June 14, 1948, she graduated eighth grade at a Wayne County-wide Graduation Ceremony. After which, she attended the Wayne City Community High School, graduating on May 28, 1952. Having been double promoted in school twice, she graduated high school at age 16. She was named President of the WCCHS, Class of 1952, Alumni a title she held until her death 74 years later.

On April 5th of 1952, as the Korean War was raging, she married Nolan C. Warren, who was in the US Navy at the time. To this union, two daughters were born, Deena and Jana.

On February 20th, 1971, she married a widower, James Woodward, and acquired five new children: Cynthia, James, Tammy, Jeffery. and Karla. Quickly, all of them became a tight family. They enjoyed many years of fulfilling each other's needs, spending holidays and vacations together, and enjoying all major family events as the family grew with grandchildren and great grandchildren. The family celebrated graduations and went to all sorts of ball games, cheerleading events, band concerts and contests, dance recitals and productions, and parties of every sort. The seasons of all the family weddings created great memories. There were many trips to Wayne County as Deana's parents aged, and as the children grew. Sadly, as one by one the family elders fell, the whole family got too well-acquainted with the Richardson Funeral home in Wayne City.

Since Verna Deana was a professional meeting and wedding planner, she put her stamp on these memorial occasions. All the children were put to work in their early teens, either working with Deana or Jim. There were always schedules to keep. Deana moved mountains not to interfere with her children's school activities schedules and yet to always give them work so they could earn spending money. The driveway looked like a used car lot, always full of cars, when the children were teenagers and driving back and forth. That was the era that Deana recalled as the best time of her life.

She felt that being her children's mother was her most important job here on Earth. However, she also had an active career as a businesswoman, starting just out of high school until age of 87 when she was still a licensed Insurance Producer by the State of Illinois.

During her career, she was an independent Associate representing Aflac, the Director of Marketing at Augustine's Executive Inn and Convention Center Belleville; the Catering Manager at the Holiday Inn in Collinsville, a Salesperson for ITT Terryphone Corporation in St. Louis, the Banquet Supervisor Waitress for the Round Table Restaurant in Collinsville, a Sales Representative for Mutual of Omaha in Roxana and Cape Girardeau, and the Banquet Supervisor at Engel's Restaurant in Carbondale.

She was preceded in death by:

Husband, James Woodward

Her parents, Clarence and Sarah Estes (Bailey) Wolfe

James' parents Samuel and Ruth (Stivers) Woodward

Daughter, Cynthia Kimutis

Son, Jeffery Woodward

Grandson, Micah Gifford

Grandson, Guy Tyler Gifford

Great grandson, Isaiah Gamache

Great granddaughter, Addison Woodward

Brother, Rev. R. Dale and Lois Wolfe

Brother, Delmar and JoAnn Wolfe

Sister, Yvonne and Glen Lathrop

Brother, John Wolfe

Brother, Gail Wolfe

Her brothers- and sisters-in-law, along with their spouses:

Lillian and Louis Hofflinger

Orville and Freda Woodward

Dorothy and Charles Hytla

Woodrow Woodward

Bernard Woodward, who died in infancy

Charles (Richard) and Mary Woodward

Vivian and James Ryan

Eileen and John Kusior

Howard Woodward

Mary Ellen Woodward

Doris and Thomas Layton

Eloise and Walter (Bodie) Hayes

Donald Joines

Nieces and nephews:

Nephew, Donald Hytla

Nephew, Gary Woodward

Nephew, Gary Brumm

Grandnephew, Nathaniel Staley

Grandniece, Stacie Hamilton

She is also survived by her children and their spouses:

Deena and James (Jerry) Pilcher

Stephen Kimutis, son-in-law

James and Carmen Woodward

Tammy and Carl Blackwood

Jana and Charles Wentzel

Martha Woodward, daughter-in-law

Karla and Steven (Troy) Arnotti

Grandchildren and their spouses:

Ashley and Brett Swip

Stephanie and Nicholas Luchtefeld

Lauren and Matthew Gamache

James (JR) Woodward

Jacee Woodward

Courtney Kimutis

Tiara Blackwood and Ashley Martinez

Dane and Alaina Blackwood

Erika Wentzel and Holly Ruder

Jared Wentzel

Michael (Zack) Pappas

Sarah Pappas

Samuel Pappas and Vanessa Gonzalez

Jacob and Kayla Woodward

Great grandchildren:

William Swip

James (JT) Swip

Micah Swip

Kelsey Luchtefeld

Conner Luchtefeld

Aubrey Luchtefeld

Elias Gamache

Aaron Gamache

Madeleine Gamache

Reece Wheeler

Rio Martinez Blackwood

Ada Blackwood

Grant Blackwood

Sisters-in-Law:

Carolyn Wolfe

Dorothy Joines

She is also survived by had special bonds with:

Niece, Constance and Joe Martin

Grandnephew, Nicholas and Melissa Staley and their daughters, Rylee and Natalie

Grandniece Catherine Martin

Nephew, James and Linda Ryan and their children, Jessica, Sara, Kathy, and David

Nephew, Kenneth and his daughter, Kimberly

Niece, Judy Hytla

Niece, Kathy Brumm and her children, Shelly, Tiffany, and Gregory

Nieces, Deborah and Brian Siebert, Judy Hytla

She is fondly missed by numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, great grandnieces, and great grandnephews.

Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at Barry Wilson Funeral Home in Maryville, Illinois.

The funeral service will be at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, September 5, 2025, at the funeral home. She will be buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.

Memorials are suggested to 3 Little Birds 4 Life and will be received at the visitation or can be mailed to Barry Wilson Funeral Home, 2800 N. Center Street, Maryville, Illinois, 62062.