Theo Woodruff

Theo Janis (Walker) Woodruff, 94 years of age, was born July 13, 1931, in Grout Township, the daughter of the late Sadie Ogg Walker and Clarence Walker. Theo was Baptized on December 12, 2024. She died on New Years Day, 2026, due to complications of Parkinson’s Disease. She was a Kerswill Road farm girl, milking cows before school and helping her mother do laundry with their wringer washer. Her early school years were spent at Grout #2 about two miles from the farm. Spending her entire life in Gladwin County, she attended Gladwin High School participating in activities including band (clarinet), junior year princess, yearbook staff, and vice president and academic top ten of her senior class. She was a member of the girls’ basketball team scoring a career total of two points after someone in the crowd yelled at her to “shoot” which she did, behind her back, facing the other direction.

Theo entered the work force as the Bookkeeper for Gladwin Hospital directly from Gladwin High School, a position she held for forty-six years. Upon retirement, an administrator quipped that “they hired Theo and then built the hospital around her” and “Theo could never take a vacation day because she was the only person who knew the combination to the hospital safe.” During hospitalizations following childbirth, she used her bedside table to complete the task of payroll for the employees. Theo was a modest, generous, intelligent, forgiving, and hard-working woman who sacrificed and stayed in the background while allowing others to take center stage. She could be counted on to be a friend to the friendless. Interests included bowling, golf, Euchre, crocheting and sewing gifts, yard sales, Bingo, and chocolate. She manicured their lawn and she could always keep a secret. She followed children and grandchildren to their sporting events. Theo was always ready to play cards. She was afraid of mice, swimming, and the Mackinaw Bridge.

Theo married Neal Andrew Woodruff in 1952. She was a devoted mother to three children, Lana Ball (Benton C. Ball), Lynden (Renee DeShano) Woodruff, and Lee (Kaye Biesenthal) Woodruff.

Theo was Grandma Woody to five grandchildren and five great grandchildren. She also had four step-grandchildren and numerous step-great grandchildren. Her brother Bernard Walker and sister Sharron Dodge survive, along with many nieces, nephews, and friends she met throughout her life.

Theo is predeceased by her husband WW II Army Veteran Neal Woodruff, her parents, a brother George (William) Walker, her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Mary Crowell Woodruff and Edward “Earl Sr.” Woodruff.

Cremation has taken place. Theo was a baptized child of God, sealed with the promise of the Resurrection through Jesus Christ her Savior. Theo’s service, a final witness to her hope in Christ, including interment of ashes and burial of her husband Neal Woodruff’s ashes will take place at a later date with Pastor Adam R. Flanick of Our Savior Lutheran Church officiating. Arrangements are in the care of Hall-Kokotovich Funeral Home. www.hallkokotovichfuneralhome.com

"I go to prepare a place for you. That where I am, there you may be also." John 14:2-3