Robert Woodward

Robert Louis Woodward, 83, died Monday June 16, 2008, at home in Anchorage.
A funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Witzleben Family Funeral Home, 1705 S. Bragaw St.
Robert was born July 1, 1924, in Webb City, Mo.
After high school, Robert was given an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
He graduated from West Point in 1945 and was commissioned to the Philippines. For a year, he lived in Mexico City, where he studied Spanish and gave English lessons to the famous Mexican artist David Siqueiros.
Robert applied and was accepted to the University of Texas School of Law in Austin. He graduated with honors and entered the oil and gas practice.
He met his wife, Mary Ann, in Midland, Texas, while at Shell Oil Co., and they were married in 1954. Robert and Mary Ann had five children together. Robert specialized in oil and gas law and worked in this area of practice until the late 1960s, when he accepted a position at a law firm in Fairbanks. Robert retired from the practice and spent the remainder of his life with his wife until she passed away in 2005.
"Robert was above all else compassionate, extremely intelligent and had an ability to make others feel instantly comfortable," his family recalled. "He had a wonderful sense of humor and was an amazing communicator. He could talk to anyone. He was a voracious reader who loved history, especially Civil War history and ancient Roman history. He was a true intellectual, but very much a romantic at heart.
"His West Point years were never far from his mind. He lived the West Point creed in his own life:
'Duty, honor and country.' Robert had a beautiful character that will live on in his children and grandchildren. He was loved and he will be greatly missed."
Robert is survived by his children, Claire Dubin-Scheer, Mary Elizabeth Woodward, John Woodward and Geoff Woodward; and grandchildren, Ashley Mannion-Woodward, Samantha Dubin and Adam Scheer.