Michael Woods Obituary

Michael Woods attended Lincoln Northeast High School in Lincoln, NE. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Michael Woods.

Graduation Year	Class of 1963
Date of Passing	May 13, 2011
About	Michael Kent Woods died of pancreatic cancer on May 14, 2011, in Montana, where he had lived since 1974. He was survived by his wife of 38 years, Laura Cater-Woods, his daughter Sarah and son Michael Kent. His obituary in the Billings Gazette described the man Mike became: "A quiet man, deeply inquisitive and creative, he was skilled in many areas and wore many hats -- both literally and figuratively. His degrees in Journalism and Literature (UNL) were put to use as he recorded his observations and experiences of the natural world. He was an obsessive writer, keeping daily journals, writing mostly essays and columns. He occasionally published in newspapers and journals under his birth name, Michael Kent Saindon. "The specifics of his life are in those writings, in the books he loved, in his eclectic tastes in music, the exceptional meals he loved to prepare for friends and family, and his constant routines of crossword puzzles, card games and adventures in extreme weather. A master at puttering, he saved almost everything 'because you never know when you might need something.' The details of his life can also be found in the hunting and fishing trips that dominated his calendar, in his vegetable gardens, the raspberries he nurtured and his special pickled peppers. They are in the 'tree house' cabin he built in the Crazy Mountains and in the many ways he mentored and gently guided so many to whom he was known as 'Uncle Woods.' "He was always willing to help a friend with a project, the preparation of wild game or finding the perfect camping spot. His working life was diverse, from being a firefighter to a contractor, to project manager and construction inspector, to cooking for an Archeology Field School and more. In his retirement, he enjoyed his part-time work at the Big Horn Canyon National Park, where he did historic reconstruction -- the perfect situation for him; creative problem solving, making things work, and solitude in the place he loved. For the last 11 1/2 years, he was accompanied almost everywhere by his 'best pal,' golden retriever Sam." Wife Laura said of him: "He was a whimsical, curious, inquisitive person, an avid outdoorsman, loved his two children beyond words, and had the gift of befriending any little one who caught his eye."