Jared S. Woodfill, 84, Malvern

Jared Samuel Woodfill, 84, of Malvern, died April 21, 2009, at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Interment took place at the Malvern Cemetery on Friday, April 24, 2009, with military honors by Malvern American Legion Harry Hammons Post 520 and Tracy Ryan, bugler. Officiating was Pastor Perry Perrett of First Christian Church in Glenwood.

The youngest of three children of Morris Cicero Woodfill and Susan (Gipe) Woodfill, he was born in Strahan in Mills County on Dec. 17, 1924. He attended the first three years of school in Lincoln, Neb., where his siblings were attending the University of Nebraska. He attended school in Strahan for four years and John Adams Junior High in Los Angeles, Calif., for three years. In 1938, he returned to the family home at Strahan and completed his education at Red Oak, where he met his future wife, Lois Wilma Tomlinson. They both graduated from Red Oak High School in 1942. He continued his education at Iowa State University, until he was called into military service.

The couple was married on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1944, at the First Christian Church in Red Oak, the same day he received his 1A classification for the military. They made their home on a farm south of Strahan and in July, Mr. Woodfill was called to serve his country. He joined the U.S. Navy and was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Training Base in Chicago where he continued his education on electronic counter measures and later at Stillwater, Okla. He returned to Chicago where he taught until he was discharged as an ETM 2nd Class on April 15, 1946.

Following his service, he and his wife returned to the family farm where he farmed throughout his life. Their marriage was blessed with two children, Susan Kay and Roger Alan. Mr. Woodfill had a strong work ethic. He loved to work on the farm and believed in protecting the soil and land. As a child, he was always intrigued with radio, and the ability to build radio equipment that would work to talk to anyone around the world who had amateur equipment. He built transceivers, power supplies, amplifiers, and many other useful amateur radio equipment to experiment with. This was his lifetime hobby.

Mr. Woodfill was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Marvin Woodfill; and sister, Viola Hathaway. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Lois Woodfill of Malvern; children, Roger Woodfill of Hastings; and Susan Wettling and husband Fred of Knoxville, Tenn.; three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends.

Memorials suggested to American Cancer Society. Mansfield-Hertz Funeral Home of Malvern was in charge of arrangements.