Martin Dwight Woodin

WOODIN, MARTIN DWIGHT Martin Dwight Woodin, president emeritus of LSU, died at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, April, 18, 2006, at Hospice of Baton Rouge. He was born on July 7, 1915, in Sicily Island, and resided in Baton Rouge. He is survived by his wife, Elisabeth Wachalik Woodin; daughters and sons-in-law, Pam Woodin Fry and Carl W. Fry and Linda Woodin Middleton and Vernon P. Middleton, all of Baton Rouge; stepson and wife, Reinhard J. Dearing and Patricia Dearing, Slidell; eight grandchildren, Shannon Johnson Wingrove and husband E. Craig Wingrove, San Antonio, Texas, Shelley Johnson Boyd and husband Jody L. Boyd, Zachary, Courtney Johnson Truluck and husband W. Bruce Truluck, Columbia, S.C., Amy E. Cangelosi, D.V.M., Greenwich, N.Y., Dr. Christopher J. Cangelosi, Marshfield, Wis., Virginia Middleton McAnelly and husband Michael B. McAnelly, Baton Rouge, Lauren Dearing Murphy and husband Judge Murphy, Novato, Calif., and Bradford Dearing, Slidell; and eight great-grandchildren, Colton, Garrett and Sarah Katherine Wingrove, Miller and Rebecca Boyd, Wallace and Grace Truluck and Laurel Murphy. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dwight E. Woodin and Gladys Martin Woodin; first wife, Virginia Johnson Woodin; and daughter, Rebecca Woodin Johnson and husband Albin S. Johnson. He graduated from Sicily Island High School in 1932. He received a bachelor of science degree from LSU College of Business Administration in 1936, a master of science degree in 1939 and a Ph.D. in business in 1941 from Cornell University. He joined the faculty at LSU as an assistant professor in 1941, but served in World War II as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy (commander of amphibious landing craft) from 1942-1946. He returned to his position at LSU following the war and rose in the ranks at LSU as professor, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agri-Business, head of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agri-Business, director of resident instruction of LSU College of Agriculture, and first dean of the newly established campus of LSU-Alexandria. From 1962 to 1972, he served as the executive vice president of the LSU system. In 1972, he was named president of the LSU system, a post he held until his retirement in 1985. He was a member of the American Marketing Association, American Farm Economic Association, Southern Association of Agricultural Workers, Council of Southern Universities (president, 1981), Southern University Conference, Southern Association of Land Grant Colleges (president, 1979), United Givers of Baton Rouge (Executive Committee), American Legion (post commander, 1952), Louisiana Farm Bureau, Gulf South Research Institute, 1973 Louisiana Constitutional Convention, LSU Foundation, Rotary International, Benevolent Paternal Order of Elks, Sigma Xi, Omicron Delta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Beta Gamma Sigma, Phi Eta Sigma, Gamma Delta Sigma, Alpha Zeta, Phi Gamma Mu, Acacia and University Presbyterian Church. He was recognized as Alumnus of the Year by the LSU Alumni Federation in 1985 and was inducted into the Cadets of the Ole War Skule Hall of Honor in 1999. He was honored with the establishment of the Martin D. Woodin Endowed Professorship in Agricultural Business established in the LSU College of Agriculture and LSU Agricultural Center. A private family burial service was conducted Saturday, April 22. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Monday, April 24, at University Presbyterian Church, conducted by Patricia Snyder, pastor. Visitation will follow the service at the Lod Cook Alumni Center on the LSU campus until 6:30 p.m. Rabenhorst Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Pallbearers will be Dudley B. Fricke, H. Rouse Caffey, James H. Wharton, James W. Firnberg, Charlie W. Roberts Jr., Randy Gurie and Christopher J. Cangelosi. Honorary pallbearers are Everette D. Besch, William L. Jenkins, Allen A. Copping, Gordon Doré, Claude "Buddy" Leach and John W. Barton Sr. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Martin D. Woodin Endowed Scholarship in the LSU Agricultural Center Department of Agricultural Economics. Contributions should be made payable to the LSU Foundation for the "Woodin Scholarship" and sent to Chancellor Bill Richardson, 101 Efferson Hall, LSU Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. The family expresses their sincere thanks to all of his caregivers, particularly Dr. Leo P. Blaize III, the physicians and staff at Baton Rouge General Medical Center-Mid City, and the physicians and staff of Hospice of Baton Rouge Inpatient Unit.