Tolbie Woods, Jr.

Tolbie Starling Woods, Jr. was born June 29, 1937 in Pike County, Kentucky to Tolbie S. Woods, Sr., a coal miner, and Arizona Lyall Woods, a stay-at-home mother. As a young boy, he would often look up in the sky at the planes and tell his sisters that one day, he was going to work on those planes and keep them in the air. This love of airplanes led him to the Air Force where he served from 1956 to 1960 and lived his dream and built engines for planes. He even had a hand in working on the Rutan Voyager, which completed the first non-stop, non-refueled flight around the world.
Tolbie, or JR, as many family members called him, moved from Kentucky to Alabama during the service where he was stationed at Brookley Fields. He spoke often about the winters in Kentucky where the snow would be waist deep and he would have to shovel coal for a fire. He even said that the lack of snow in Mobile, is one of the reasons that prompted him to stay in Alabama.
He married his wife of 59 years, Patricia Ann Eubanks Woods on October 19, 1957 and together they had two daughters, Veronica Woods Hatcher, who precedes him in death, and Theresa Woods George. He would later become a grandfather and eventually a great-grandfather.
He is remembered for being a jokster, and his constant need to create and build. Whether he was working in the yard, on cars, on ceramics, or passing along his knowledge of how things worked to others, he always did it with a smile. For a majority of his life, he would smell of cigars and you could often find him chewing on one, the stub hanging out of the corner of his mouth.
Later in life he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and joined Belle Fountaine Missionary Baptist church, even becoming a deacon. He later attended Cypress Shores Baptist. Unfortunately, over the past few years Alzheimer's Disease began to effect his ability to participate.
Tolbie left this world on July 6, 2016 and leaves behind his wife and daughter, four grandchildren, ( Wesley G. and Kristi N. Hatcher and Tracie M. and Kirsten M. George) and four great-grandchildren (Ella Grace, Wesley G."Trip" III, John Tolbie, and Julia-Marie Elizabeth Hatcher).

Uncle Jr...His youngest daughter held his hand here on earth as he took his last breath and his oldest daughter held his hand on the other side when he took his first breath in Heaven. What a comfort. We will remember the tissue he kept in his hand, not for his nose, but for him to roll up and constantly tickle someone's ear with. The crazy "cat" noise he always made for us kids. Walking back and forth to his garage to make ceramics. A spittoon beside his rocking chair for years. Feeding his dogs only the best of food and frequently talking and rubbing them. Meeting us at "the fence" to bring us a plate of food that Aunt Pat had cooked. Big hugs on a belly full of snack cakes and Dr. Pepper. Always rattling a snack cake wrapper. Long years ago, a cigar nub hanging out of his mouth corner. Always a jokster, picking, playing, only to stop when Aunt Pat said "JUUUNIOR!" Ha. Reunited with a daughter and parents, saving a place for the rest of us who believe in Jesus Christ. Thank you, Jesus, for the opportunity to have had an uncle like Uncle Jr. He will be always loved and will be greatly missed. What an incredible part of the journey. His journey has just begun. - Jennifer Hathcock.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, June 11, 2016 at 2 pm. From Mobile Memorial gardens Funeral Home. Visitation will start at 1 pm. Burial with honors will be in Mobile Memorial Gardens.

Visitation

Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home
6040 Three-Notch Road
Mobile, AL  36619
Monday, July 11, 2016
1 - 2:00 PM

Service

Funeral Service

Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home
6040 Three-Notch Road
Mobile, AL  36619
Monday, July 11, 2016
2:00 PM

Cemetery

Mobile Memorial Gardens
6100 Three-Notch Road
Mobile, AL  36619