Checkered Flag: John "Woody" Woodruff

[BGlover67]

For anyone who may be interested, here is a video of Woody detailing the accident and his car's restoration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T79OGdWe8M&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR0Fln3SuRRO71TV7R7GzKAYzvUCmNxv8hs4iKv9KtCXdb9YRuPTtaIOzPM

[Bill]

Going to miss Woody and his stories of both NJ and Shelby ownership.

Our condolences to his family and friends.

Bill

[1690]

He was a part of our small email club, and that was a beautiful tribute Brian....very well-written.  We should all have such strength and positive attitudes.  My deepest sympathy, Nick

[2112]

Obviously, Woody had a lot of quality friends. Must have been a heck of a good guy.

Nice, heartfelt Tribute Brian. Godspeed Woody.

[JD]

Great video.

Thanks Woody...

[Steve McDonald Formally known as Mcdonas]

For anyone who may be interested, here is a video of Woody detailing the accident and his car's restoration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T79OGdWe8M&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR0Fln3SuRRO71TV7R7GzKAYzvUCmNxv8hs4iKv9KtCXdb9YRuPTtaIOzPM

The video is pure Woody, thanks for the memories

[silverton_ford]

Woody was in the Winter 2018 Shelby American magazine (see attachments below).   I wish I met him.  RIP.

[Tom Honegger]

Very sorry to hear of Woody's passing. Met him at SAAC 36 when Woody, JD, Henry and I
took some group photos of our "Red Light District" early '67's. So glad to hear that
he enjoyed all the adventures driving his Shelby.

[BGlover67]

Just got back from Woody's memorial service. A very touching experience.  The parking lot looked more like your local cars and coffee than a funeral.  I'm sure Woody would have wanted it that way.

https://www.imageshack.us/a/mt8B7/1

Tom Cotter got up and spoke and I don't think there was a dry eye in the place.

[NC TRACKRAT]

Amen to Brian's sentiments but it wasn't really a sad ceremony.  Knowing Tom's ability as an author and YouTube personality, we were not disappointed by his ability to tell a great story or two about his best friend. I really don't know how he kept his composure as well as he did.  As regrettable the circumstance, events like this bring together friends so it was great reuniting with old track buddies I haven't seen for quite a while.  Woody, we'll miss you and, rest assured, every time I see a package of 'em, I'll remember "The Bear, Tom's Cobra and Woody's Fig Newtons"!

[Henry G]

I think the service was exactly what Woody would have wanted.  If you look at Brian's pictures of Woody's 67 when they were doing the latest restoration he insisted that the stickers on the windshield remain untouched...that says everything about Woody.  I don't know if he met his goal of being the original owner of a 67 GT-350 with the most miles on the car but if not I'm pretty sure he was close...Godspeed my good friend...

H//

[Bigfoot]

It's a terrible thing to lose a member of the group but it's a wonderful thing that he is being remembered here in this fashion.
RIP

[Cobramax]

Woody was an amazing man. Kind, gentle, a fantastic story teller, modest, and really tough, as he suffered in silence during his time battling pancreatic cancer. He made the most of his life to the very end.
Woody helped Tom Cotter and me on our Cobra Tours every year since the first one in 2006. He helped plan routes, doing scouting trips, and he always carried the beer coolers, a critical task, since he had the only car big enough to haul them, he often played scout, driving ahead of the group to acquire parking spots at stops and to scout for problems along the routes.
He added much to my life as a good and faithful friend.

[Chuck S]

Hi y'all --

I've been trying to find Woody for a couple of years and today remembered he had a GT350 so put in as part of my Google search which brought me here.  Almost wish it didn't.

Woody and I served in an Ohio Army National Guard armored cavalry regiment together before his job took him to NC.  During this time he sent the green painted GT350 back to some place in Pennsylvania to be restored using his Guard checks to pay for it.  He apparently used several gallons of engine oil when he brought the car out to Ohio from NJ and didn't risk driving it to PA for the work so it was picked up by a closed auto-carrier full of restored classic cars. 

Just wanted to let you know Woody is missed outside of the Shelby world.   

-- Chuck

[BGlover67]

Hi y'all --

I've been trying to find Woody for a couple of years and today remembered he had a GT350 so put in as part of my Google search which brought me here.  Almost wish it didn't.

Woody and I served in an Ohio Army National Guard armored cavalry regiment together before his job took him to NC.  During this time he sent the green painted GT350 back to some place in Pennsylvania to be restored using his Guard checks to pay for it.  He apparently used several gallons of engine oil when he brought the car out to Ohio from NJ and didn't risk driving it to PA for the work so it was picked up by a closed auto-carrier full of restored classic cars. 

Just wanted to let you know Woody is missed outside of the Shelby world.   

-- Chuck


No doubt Chuck.  I was thinking of Woody just the other day as I thought about something I wanted to share with him.  He truly loved life to the fullest. I really hope I see him again someday, only hopefully not too soon.

Brian