Herbert Reeves "Jerry" Woodell, Jr

Funeral services celebrating the life of Herbert Reeves “Jerry” Woodell, Jr, age 85 will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, April 24, 2023 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 705 S. Spruce Street, Vivian, LA with Rev. Pastor John McCaherty officiating. Interment will follow at Lakeview Memorial Gardens in Oil City, LA.  There will be a time of visitation on Sunday, April 23, 2023 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

Pop was born in Oil City, LA on February 5, 1938 to his parents, Herbert Reeves Woodell, Sr and Ruby Pearl Sessum Woodell and went to be with his Lord and Savior on April 20, 2023 at North Caddo Medical Center in Vivian, LA.

Pop was a hard worker and dedicated family man. As a young child he helped his family farm and fish. When he got old enough, he went to work in the oilfield. He worked on a rig on his beloved Caddo Lake and numerous other oilfield jobs until he went to work at UOP in 1965 where he worked for 30 years.

After retirement Pop spent the next 29 years doing the work he loved most-raising cows, fishing, hunting and cooking “gourmet” wildlife meals. He killed more deer and squirrels and caught more fish than could be counted. His hunting and fishing skills helped feed his family. Pops creative ingenuity was obvious from his car and equipment repairs to the various animal pens he built and especially his never-ending jokes and wild tales. He loved to entertain his family with singing and dancing.

His greatest tale was the numerous and exaggerated ways that he got his finger cut off. He loved to tell the curious and especially his grandchildren and great grandchildren that he wore it off poking holes in biscuits to pour syrup in or that a booger bit it off when he was picking his nose.  We believe but are not totally sure the real cause was an oilfield accident when he was 18 years old.

Pop loved life even in the hard times. He was a talker and never lacked for anything to say. He loved Caddo Lake where he lived his entire 85 years.

Pop always had “milk money” for his grandchildren, he didn’t want them to go hungry. He spent too many hours to count teaching his grandchildren to hunt, fish and “Jerry rig” anything they needed. He loved his family and his great granddaughters were extra special to him, but his greatest love was his Lord and Savior. He would always tell you about his Jesus and how much he loved him.

He was the best husband, daddy, Pop and friend. He will be greatly missed but he left us with so many wonderful and precious memories.

Pop is preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Jayne Kirkpatrick and Bessie Alford and brother, Robert Woodell. Left to cherish his memories are his wife of 64 years, Betty Bounds Woodell of Oil City, LA; his children, Nina Alexander and husband, Richie, Jennifer Phelps and husband, Roy both of Mooringsport, LA; son, Doug Woodell and partner, Doug Sullivan of Stonewall, LA; sister, Ruth Johnston of Oil City, LA. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Roy Phelps, Jr and wife Kylie of Ida, LA, Zach Alexander and wife Anna-Rose of Minden, LA, Austin Alexander of Dallas, TX and Allie Alexander of Benton, LA; great granddaughters, Brexley and Brinkley Phelps, Mary-Maxie and Bess Marie Alexander.

Honoring Pop as pallbearers will be Roy Phelps, Roy Phelps, Jr., Richie Alexander, Zach Alexander, Austin Alexander and Doug Sullivan. Honorary pallbearers will be Sammy Springer, Edward Richard, Tootie Ray Deemer, Steve Springer and Junior Woodell..

In lieu of flowers, the family suggest that memorials be made to Ferry Lake Baptist Church Youth Fund, P. O. Box 278, Oil City, LA  71061 or the charity of donor’s choice.