Gertrude “Gertie” Lee Wooddell, 93 of Maquon, passed away peacefully Wednesday, August 16, at 1:58am at the OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home in Peoria, after a short illness.
She was born February 17, 1930 in Canton, Illinois, the first child of Jesse L. and Ruby J. (Thurman) Ward. After graduating from Fairview High School, she married Leith “Woody” Wooddell November 15, 1948 in LaHarpe. He died February 7, 1994.
Surviving is one daughter, Diane Durdle of Elmwood, Illinois, one brother, Clyde (and Debbie) Ward of Payson, Utah. She is also survived by six grandchildren: Chris (and Candy) Postin of Abingdon, Illinois, Roxanne (and Tony) Hahn of Jerseyville, Illinois, Mike Postin of Cuba, Illinois, Dennis (and Lynn) Spangler of Hanford, California, Mindy Postin of Maquon, Illinois, Anthony (and Adrianna) Stewart of Canton, Illinois. Gertrude is also survived by twelve great-grandchildren and two great-great granddaughters.
She is preceded in death by Woody, her husband of 45 years, her parents, three brothers Lyle, Connie and David Ward, two sisters, Lorrenia Ward and Lelia Azbell, one baby brother Charles Clarence Ward, and her oldest daughter, Susan Postin.
Gertrude was a homemaker and lovingly raised her kids and grandkids on their family farm in rural Maquon where she lived for nearly 75 years. She was a beautician and ran Gertie’s Beauty Shop out of her home for over 30 years. She was talented at crocheting and shared her beautiful creations with family and friends. In her later years, Gertrude was devoted to caring for her beloved birds; cockatiels, dove, love birds and parakeets. She fed the wild birds all year long and refilled her hummingbird feeder daily so she could watch them through her window from her recliner. Gertrude enjoyed working outside and proudly kept up with the mowing and care of her 2 ½ acre yard well into her 80s. Above all, Gertie loved her family “to the moon and back” and all that know and love her miss her dearly.
Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at 11am at the Hurd-Hendricks Funeral Homes & Crematory in Knoxville, Illinois with burial to follow at Foster Cemetery, Fairview, Illinois, with Rev. Kris McMillan officiating. Visitation will be one hour before the funeral service. Memorials may be made to the Maquon Fire Department. On-line condolences and/or expressions of sympathy may be sent through www.hurd-hendricksfuneralhome.com.
