Connie Harrison Woodruff

1929 - 2022

WOODRUFF, Connie Harrison, age 93, of Charlottesville, Va., died September 9, 2022. Connie was born August 7, 1929, at "Woodlands" in Brunswick County, near Lawrenceville, Va. She was the daughter of the late George Thornton Harrison and Emma Field Hicks Harrison. She was predeceased by her husband, Edward E. Woodruff, the love of her life for 65 years. Upon graduation from Lawrenceville High School at age 16, Connie enrolled in the Pan American Business School in Richmond. After graduation from Pan American, she worked briefly for an insurance company in Richmond. She subsequently moved home to Lawrenceville and worked as secretary to the District Manager of Virginia Electric and Power Company (now Dominion Energy). It was here that she met her future husband and Connie and "Woody" were married on Thanksgiving Day in 1948. Two daughters were born to the happy couple. Connie was a member of the Lawrenceville Garden Club, the Wednesday Night Bridge Club and the Junior Woman's Club. She also taught Sunday School at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. Dominion transferred the family to Farmville, Va., in 1962. There, Connie worked as secretary to Attorney J. Barrye Wall Jr. In 1966 Dominion moved the family to Charlottesville. Connie worked 20 years as private secretary to law professor Charles M. Davidson Jr. at the University of Virginia School of Law. She retired in 1990 to help care for her two infant granddaughters. Connie was a member of Christ Episcopal Church, Charlottesville, and was a member of Christ Church Altar Guild for several years. She was especially fond of cats and there was always at least one cat in the household. Over the years her hobbies and interests included quilting, gardening, square dancing, reading legal thrillers and traveling across the U.S., Canada and Europe with her husband after his retirement from Dominion. She also enjoyed taking her granddaughters on various trips and excursions. She was always the happiest when surrounded by children. Connie doted on her grandchildren, as well as her great-grandchildren, all of whom knew her as "Doe." In addition to her parents and husband, Connie was predeceased by two sisters and a brother. Connie was a faithful and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend, always putting the needs of others before her own. She is survived by her daughters, Elizabeth Woodruff Dean of Alexandria, Va. and Mary Woodruff Winkler of Scottsville, Va. Also surviving her are her adored grandchildren, Carrie Winkler Anderson of Grand Rapids, Mich. and Amy Winkler Loope, of Charleston, S.C.; three great-granddaughters of Grand Rapids; two sons-in-law, Claude W. Dean and Stephen P. Winkler; two grandsons-in-law, Zachary T. Anderson and Jeffrey N. Loope; nieces, nephews and cousins, all of whom she cherished. The family is comforted in knowing that, by the Grace of God, Connie is reunited with her beloved "Woody." Hill and Wood Funeral Home is handling the arrangements; condolences may be sent to the family at www.hillandwood.com. A private service will be held at a later date. To those who wish, the family suggests memorials be made in Connie's name to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn. 38105.