Ann M. Woodard

May 10, 1935 - March 23, 2019

COLEBROOK – Ann M. Woodard, 83, of Colebrook, passed away on Saturday evening, March 23, 2019, at the Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital. Born in Concord, NH, on May 10, 1935, Ann was the daughter of the late Bernard and Pauline (Swain) Merrill. Ann grew up on a small farm in New Hampton, and attended a one-room school on Old Bristol Road. She then attended high school in Bristol where she graduated in 1952. The next fall she started at Plymouth Teacher’s College. While at college she became friends with a group of girls who she remained close to until her passing. After graduation in 1956 with a Bachelor’s in Education she went to work in Franklin, NH. Her college friend, Phyllis, brought her to Colebrook for a visit where she met Russell, the man she would marry. The summer after her first year of teaching, she and three college friends made a memorable cross-country road trip. In November of 1958 she married Russell Woodard and they moved to the coastal area of New Hampshire. They began to raise their family there until 1969 when they moved to Colebrook. Ann taught at Colebrook Elementary School until she retired in 1995. Even after retirement, her love for teaching kept her busy as a substitute and volunteering in the school system until she was forced to stop because of ailing health. Ann, with Russell, raised their two children while being very active in the community. The many things she was involved with included the Monadnock Congregational Church, where she was a Sunday School teacher and served on many different boards, and the Mohawk Grange serving in many offices and as secretary for 25 years until she was unable to continue due to her health. She was very influential in the “Got Lunch” program, held offices in the Metallak Retired Teachers, and kept the Ecumenical Vacation Bible School going for many years, as well as being the treasurer. She was a supervisor of the checklist for Colebrook for 10 years, and she worked with the children in the 4-H program which she enjoyed because it reminded her of her youth. Ann and Russell enjoyed square dancing, both while living in Hampton and in Colebrook. She loved to travel and took many trips including, a second cross-country trip with her family to visit her sister, Mary, and family in California. She and Russell had the chance to travel to Germany to visit her brother-in-law, Wendell, also. Other trips they went on were to Niagara Falls, and many different camping trips around New England and the surrounding areas. She loved spending time using their camper in the summer at different campgrounds around the region. Along with traveling and camping, she loved just being in the outdoors, gardening, hiking, canoeing, going on picnics, and bird watching. She always had bird feeders outside her kitchen window and would keep track of the returning birds each year. The only thing that outweighed her love for the outdoors was the love she had for her family and friends. Her children, grandchildren, and great granddaughter meant the world to her. She would go out of her way, even if she wasn’t really feeling up to it, just to support any one of them. She touched many lives in the area, will be dearly missed and will always be remembered as Mrs. Woodard to many. Ann leaves behind her beloved husband of more than 60 years, Russell Woodard of Colebrook; a son, David Woodard and wife Sandy of Colebrook; a daughter, MaryAnn Neary and husband Will of Colebrook; four grandchildren, Amanda Bogue and husband Bradley, Bradley Woodard, Dean Woodard-Neary, and Scott Neary and his girlfriend, Renee; one great-granddaughter, Paisley Ann Bogue; two brothers, John Merrill of Center Harbor, NH, and Clarence ‘Pete’ Merrill and wife Judi of Griswold, Conn., a sister, Mary Blodgett and husband Jim of Salinas, Calif.; and in-laws, Phyllis Anderson of North Andover, Mass., Gertrude Dionne of North Hampton, NH, and Wendell Woodard of Colebrook; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Memorial calling hours will be on Fri., March 29, 2019, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home in Colebrook. A memorial service will follow the next morning at 11 a.m. at the Monadnock Congregational Church. Interment will occur later in the year at the Colebrook Village Cemetery, of which notice will be given. Expressions of sympathy in memory of Mrs. Woodard may be made to the Metallak Retired Educators Assn., c/o M. Jolles, 206 Roaring Brook Rd., Colebrook, NH 03576; or to the Monadnock Congregational Church, P.O. Box 307, Colebrook, NH 03576. Condolences may be offered to the family on-line by going to www.jenkinsnewman.com. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home, Colebrook, NH.