July 24 1935 November 12 2022
James Holloway Woods Jr, 87, of Saint Louis, Missouri passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 12th, 2022 surrounded with the care and comfort of loved ones. Jim leaves behind his wife of 28 years, Linda Adams Woods and their blended family. Born to James Holloway Woods and Marjorie Hawkins Woods, Jim was the oldest of four children, sharing a close bond with his brother David throughout his life. Jim grew up in St Louis, attending Reed School, Community School and graduated from John Burroughs School in 1954. He attended Iowa State University, studying animal science, which would later serve him well in his career. Jim leaves behind his three children from his first marriage to Chloe Crone Woods, daughters Lauren (Ed: deceased), grandsons Zach, Connor and Nicholas Daugherty, Jenni (Terry), granddaughters Kenzie and Jessy Tierney and son Jim (Kris), granddaughter Petra Woods. Jim’s blended family with his wife Linda, leaves behind step-children Bruce (Nancy), grandsons Scott, Kirk, Kyle McNeill and Heather, granddaughters Quinn, Grace and Claire Guenther. Jim followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, owning and operating the family business, Chaumiere Farms in Steelville, Missouri. He, along with his buddy Gary, devoted his livelihood to raising livestock, crop farming, conservation practices and building community among the many ranch families that lived and worked on Chaumiere. There you could find him in the saddle on a cattle drive, fishing on the banks of the Meramec River or simply enjoying the peace and tranquility of the place he called home. It was his “happy place”. Jim had a tireless work ethic and was a passionate steward of the land and animals in his charge. He believed that the land did not belong to us, that we are temporary guardians, obligated to leave it better than the way we found it. That was Jim. He was a lifelong philanthropist. He served on the boards of numerous non-profits over the years with a special interest in young lives. He gave generously of his time and resources to enriching the lives of youth in the outdoors and creating opportunities for young people with less accessibility to nature and outdoor recreation. Following Jim’s career in ranching and through a turn in life events, he earned his Master’s Degree in Social Work at SIUE, dedicating his later years to family counseling for Lutheran Family and Children’s Services in St Louis. Jim wanted to give back to families in crisis. That was Jim too. Later in life, Jim discovered his love of international travel. Together with his wife Linda, they traveled the world, returning to his fondest destinations in Germany, Switzerland and Austria each year. Annual summer trips to the Boundary Waters and weekends in the Ozarks made for many happy memories. Sharing it with his children and grandchildren was his joy. Anyone who knew Jim also knew he lived life on his own terms. He didn’t love crowds, preferring to connect with you one on one. Patience was not his virtue. He was a do-er and a “to-do’ list guy. Productivity was his hallmark. You might catch him at a formal affair but denim and cowboy boots were what he liked best…a cowboy at heart. Jim was soft hearted and tough, rugged and polished, private and giving, compassionate and deeply loving. But it was his huge heart, generous spirit and sense of humor that we will miss most. There was no end to his generosity. Throughout his life, Jim practiced random acts of kindness to perfect strangers and life-long friends alike…it made no difference. That was Jim. We would like to thank our wonderful caregivers and St. Luke’s Hospice for the loving care that he received. A Celebration of Life will be held for family in the Ozarks on Father’s Day 2023. In lieu of flowers and with deep gratitude, please consider a donation to: Nature Conservancy of Missouri: nature.org Pedal the Cause: pedalthecause.org St Luke’s Hospice: www.stlukes-stl.com
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of James H Woods Jr July 24 1935 November 12 2022.
Death notice for the town of: Kirkwood, state: Missouri