Woodall, Lorraine E. 1921-2009

WOODALL, DOTY, CARLEY

Posted By: Mary Holub, volunteer (email)
Date: 7/28/2009 at 12:10:55

From: Le Mars Daily Sentinel, July 27, 2009

Lorraine E. Woodall, 87, of Marcus, died Wednesday, July 22, 2009, at her home in Marcus.

Lorraine Woodall was born Nov. 13, 1921, at the home of her grandfather, George Doty, in Le Mars. She was the daughter of Frank C. and Violet (Doty) Carley. The family moved to Marcus in 1928.

Lorraine lived in the historic Gund-Woodall home, near downtown Marcus for 40 years and surrounded by her loving family, took her last breaths in the comfort of this same home.

Lorraine Carley was "Miss Marcus" in 1937. She graduated from Marcus High School in 1939, and furthered her education at the National Business Training School (NBT) in Sioux City. Her first job was selling seed-corn and canvassing her customers while proudly driving her yellow, 1939 Pontiac convertible.

On Aug. 2, 1941, in St. Joseph, Mo., Lorraine married her high school sweetheart, Wilmer E. "Bill" Woodall. They celebrated 58 years of marriage.

Lorraine earned her teacher's certificate and taught at Remsen #5, rural Plymouth County, and the Cave School in Cherokee County. She also tutored students and taught private music lessons.

Bill and Lorraine shared numerous business ventures. Following the completion of Bill's duties in the military in the European Theatre during World War II, the couple opened an army surplus store in Marcus.

B and W Sales was a Kaiser-Fraser automobile and Oliver tractor dealership they owned in Marcus. Lorraine drove new cars from Detroit for the business. Later, Lorraine and Bill published a national newsletter and sold vintage cars and car parts to major museums and collectors.

As members of the Midwest Antique Guild for over 40 years, they sold furniture, art glass and fine antiques at shows throughout the Midwest.

Some of Lorraine's favorite hobbies included dressing antique dolls, reading, crocheting, writing and in her earlier years, gardening and canning.

She was a Mayflower descendant and a patriotic member of Pilot Rock Chapter DAR of Cherokee. Lorraine was an 80-year member of the Grace United Methodist Church in Marcus.

Lorraine loved spending a lifetime of leisure on the water. The family purchased a cottage at Okoboji in 1945. Later, she enjoyed 12 winters in Destin, Fla., and then, at Arnold's Park for 16 years. Lorraine owned the Doty farm in Plymouth County.

Fortunate to share in Lorraine's life and "tell it as it is" conversations, are her children, Jeannine Anderson and her husband, Vern of Kingsley, Jacque Woodall of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and William C. Woodall and his wife, Janette of Cleghorn; her six grandchildren, Wade, Gentry and Colt Berger, Jade and Justin Woodall and Jimmy Douglas Walters, II. She is also survived by her 12 great-grandchildren, Cale, Hannah, Caitlyn, Tanner, Blake, Mary Grace, Sarah Beth, AshLee, Drew, Aspen, Jaxon and Ava and numerous other relatives and friends.

Preceding Lorraine in death were her husband, Wilmer "Sam" Woodall on Dec. 25, 1999; her infant son; her parents, Frank and Violet Carley; and her five half-brothers, Harold, Lester, Ross, Robert and Ronald Carley.

Funeral services were at 10:30 a.m. today (Monday), at the Grace United Methodist Church in Marcus, with the Rev. Gary McDonough officiating. Interment was in the Marcus-Amherst Cemetery, Marcus.

Visitation began at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Earnest-Johnson Funeral Home in Marcus. The family was present from 5 to 8 p.m., with a prayer service and a Daughters of the American Revolution service at 7 p.m. Visitation continued Monday at the Grace United Methodist Church, one hour prior to Lorraine's service.