Ann Woods

Ann Stuhlman Woods (Laird) passed away peacefully at her beloved home on Lake Palestine at Flint, Texas (near Tyler), on September 18, 2024. She had delivered her homemade scones and visited her neighbors just that morning, and then went to pull weeds, something she still did regularly. Her lovely yard, which was her pride, was freshly mowed and green, flowers blooming, birds singing, and her wind chimes were playing gently when she slipped into our Father’s arms. A celebration of life for Ann is planned at her home from 2 pm-4 pm in Flint, Texas, on Saturday, October 19, 2024. Ann will be interred in Louisiana, Missouri, alongside the two loves of her life on Sunday, October 27, 2024. Visitation will be from 12 p.m-1 p.m., funeral service immediately following, at Collier’s Funeral Home, 117 Barnard Drive, Louisiana, MO 63353. Ann was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 27, 1938, the only child of Conrad F. and Gladys Ann (Foegeding) Stuhlman. She met her husband, Jerry Woods, when they were both students at the University of Missouri-Columbia (Mizzou). They were married on December 19, 1959, in St. Louis. A few years after they graduated from Mizzou, they moved their young family to Louisiana, Missouri in 1964, where they raised their two daughters. Ann was a vibrant part of the Louisiana community for all the years she lived there. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and was active teaching catechism, first communion and confirmation, as well as lectoring regularly for mass. She also worked part time in the 1960s for the Louisiana Press-Journal writing features, and said she should have studied news and editorial writing at Mizzou instead of advertising, because she enjoyed this writing immensely. Ann was a Girl Scout Leader for several years, and was president of the Library Board during the 1970s. After Jerry passed in 1983, she met and married John Laird, on July 27, 1985. Ann and John owned the Video Visions store in Louisiana, and Ann was known to many for managing the city Motor Vehicle License office during that time. She also volunteered for Colorfest. After she and John moved to Flint, Texas, in 1995, Ann continued lectoring at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Whitehouse. She also employed her baking and decorating talents at the local Brookshire’s store bakery for several more years. But her true passion was substitute teaching in the local public schools. She worked with early childhood and elementary classrooms, as well as special needs children. Helping these children, especially sharing her love of reading with them, meant everything to Ann. Ann’s other loves were cooking and baking, needlecrafts, quilting and knitting, genealogy and family history, caring for her home and yard, enjoying her favorite television shows and football, and spending time with her family and cherished friends. Ann was preceded in death by her husbands, Jerry Woods and John Laird (who passed away in 2006). She is survived by her daughters, Dianne Montoya (Mark) of Lakewood, Colorado, and Connie Wright of Forney, Texas; and five grandchildren – Jonathan Montoya (Christy) of Littleton, Colorado, Evan Montoya (Alyson) of Denver, Colorado, Ashley Wright of Plano, Texas, Alexandra (Alex) Atnip (Mat) of Forney, Texas, and Logan Wright of College Station, Texas. And she was delighted to be GiGi (Great-Grannie) to Sloane Montoya (Jon and Christy) and Scarlett Atnip (Alex and Mat), plus one other great-granddaughter to be, due to Jon and Christy in February 2025. Ann was a force of nature all her life, and lived that life to the very fullest. But all who knew her and and have been blessed with her energy, wisdom and loving generous spirit will miss her dearly. Memorials for Ann may be made in her name to: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at http://www.donate.imaginationlibrary.com or Reading is Fundamental at http://www.rif.org

Ann Woods

September 27, 1938 - September 18, 2024