Robert Daniel Woodson, 72, of Leavenworth, Kansas passed away on Saturday, January 7, at Providence Medical Center.
A Celebration of Life Visitation Service will be from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on Friday, January 13, at Davis Funeral Chapel. A service at the National VA Cemetery in Leavenworth will be planned at a later date.
Dan's beloved Chiefs aren't playing this week, but we encourage you to don your game day gear for a special "Red Friday" tribute to him anyway! Those attending the service are encouraged to ditch their funeral clothes and dress in Chiefs gear or the color red.
Dan was born on February 10, 1950, in Leavenworth, Kansas. He was the eldest son of Robert N. Woodson and Mary L. Woodson (Wolff). Dan attended school in Lansing or Leavenworth during his younger years. His family grew when he gained a sister, Diane, and some time later a brother, Mike. A move with his parents to Topeka led him to graduate from Washburn Rural High School in Topeka in 1968. After High School he stayed in Topeka and attended Washburn University, majoring in Corrections and Sociology.
During college Dan became involved in Air Force ROTC and was on Reserve Status the last 2 years he attended Washburn. He graduated with his Bachelor's Degree in 1972 and was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force. It was also during his college years that he met Vicky S. Jones (Shove) who he married in 1971 and later had a daughter with.
Dan's service time took him from Topeka to Champaign-Urbana and eventually to Big Spring, Texas, where he became a dad to Charity Ann in 1974. When he exited the Air Force as a 1st Lieutenant in 1975 he made his way back to Kansas, briefly living in Topeka and then permanently in Leavenworth.
Following his military service, Dan had a variety of jobs including being a prison tower guard and a parole officer. Some of you may even remember him tending bar at Woodson's Lounge. When he began working at the VA Hospital in Leavenworth, he found his life-long career. All of his positions involved caring for those with psychiatric issues and/or chemical abuse issues. As both a Psychiatric Nursing Assistant providing direct care and as a Rehabilitation Technician working on a treatment team in the Domiciliary, he was always acknowledged as an excellent employee, exceptionally hard worker, and cared enough to take the time to really get to know his patients. He retired from the VA in 2019.
The 1980s were a time of change for Dan Woodson, and if you lived in Leavenworth you probably knew it! He had been recently divorced, was living in Leavenworth, and was re-establishing his roots. It was then that he met his current wife, Gwendolyn "Sue" Woodson (Hoover). Their blended family brought Dan 3 new children (Mike, Regina, and Angie) and many years of happiness. He also gained 6 grandchildren along the way, including his Buddy, Cameron, who he raised with his wife and who eventually cared for him in his later years.
Dan loved so many things, and was passionate about them! He loved to listen to music, especially while grilling out and drinking a beer. He loved going to Royals baseball games and is one of the biggest Chiefs fans out there. In fact, his daughter couldn't even call him during games, because he wouldn't talk and didn't want any bad Indiana mojo! If you never knew, Dan was a life-long comic book collector. He also loved playing darts and card games, loved fishing, was an ace at NY Times crossword puzzles, loved to play Softball, and loved silence in the mornings when he woke up so he could drink his coffee in peace. He gave great advice, even if you didn't want to hear it, and was usually right about it. He accepted people as they were, and that allowed him to be himself as well.
Dan was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife, Gwendolyn Woodson of Leavenworth; his sister Diane Woodson of Hockessin, DE and his brother Mike Woodson of Atchison; his children Mike Hoover, Regina Gilbert, and Angie Moppin of Leavenworth and Charity Mouck of Terre Haute, IN; his grandchildren Cameron Huffman, Dana Imbrogno, Daniel Pittman and Michael Hoover of Leavenworth and Eden and Levi Mouck of Terre Haute, IN., and his nephew Kurtis Woodson.
