Lula Imogene Woods
Lula Imogene Woods, of Columbia, died Friday, June 26, 2009. She was 98.
Mrs. Woods was born Jan. 28, 1911, in Boone County to Patton D. and Ethel (Carey) Hill.
Mrs. Woods graduated from Hickman High School in 1928. Her daughter, Rayma Jo Smith of California, Mo., said her mother was a member of the first graduating class from the school’s current building. Smith said her mother kept in touch with a group of her classmates and met with them many times over the years.
She married William Rule in 1929. After his death, she married Max Woods in 1946, who served as the Columbia Fire Department chief for 23 years.
“We always said she was the first lady of the Fire Department,” granddaughter Vicki Mansfield said. “She went to many fire conventions.”
Mrs. Woods was a member of Daughters of the American Revolution, Kings Highway Sikeston Chapter. She was also involved in Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a lifetime member of Descendents of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge and Wilkes Boulevard United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Woods also played piano and organ since a young age.
“She was in big demand,” Mansfield said. “She used to play weddings, funerals. She was quite accomplished.”
Mrs. Woods is survived by a son, Randall Rule of Kingsland, Ga.; two daughters, Treva Pugh of Columbia and Rayma Jo Smith; a brother, Harold Hill of Columbia; 14 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and 14 great-great-grandchildren.
Both her husbands; a son, Ronald Rule; three sisters, Willmetia Armstrong, Wynona Trimble and Maureen; a brother, A.O. Hill; and two grandchildren died earlier.
Visitation will be at noon Monday at Parker Funeral Service, 22 N. Tenth St. Services will be held at 1 p.m. after the visitation. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, 1217 Business Loop 70 W.
Memorial contributions may be made to Wilkes Boulevard United Methodist Church. Online tributes may be posted at parkerfuneralservice.com.
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