Richard King "Dick" Woodruff

Richard King “Dick” Woodruff, age 85, of rural Elizabeth, Illinois, died Saturday, December 30, 2006 at home surrounded by his loving family. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 9, 2006 at the Zion Presbyterian Church, Schapville, Illinois with Pastor Dottie Morizzo officiating. Burial will be in the Woodbine Cemetery, Woodbine, Illinois. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials may be made to the Nature Conservatory, Heifer Project, Doctors Without Borders, or FHN Hospice.
Dick was born October 6, 1921 in Albany, New York, the son of Ernest and Helen Woodruff. He graduated from New Trier High School, Winnetka, Illinois and is a 1944 graduate of Williams College, Williamstown, MA. Dick served in the United States Marine Corps from 1942 – 1946 during WWII, attaining the rank of Corporal. On October 7, 1949, Dick married Margaret Carson in Winnetka, Illinois.
He joined his father in work at Refractory Products, Inc., manufacturing ceramic insulation materials. After serving as president for 14 years, Dick retired in 1986. After retirement Dick and Margaret moved to rural Elizabeth.
His special interests include St. Leonard’s House, Chicago, Illinois, fox hunting, riding, upland game hunting, wilderness camping, canoeing, science, history and traveling. He served as District Commissioner of the Fox River Valley Pony Club; Regional Commissioner of United States Pony Club, Area IV; Regional Supervisor of United States Combined Training Association; President of Fox River Valley Hunt; and President of Cornwall Hounds. He was also a member of the Zion Presbyterian Church, Schapville, Illinois and the Galena Rotary Club, Galena, Illinois.
Dick will be dearly missed by his wife, Margaret Woodruff of Elizabeth, Illinois; three sons, Thomas Woodruff of Oxford, Iowa, David (Cary) Woodruff of Woodstock, Illinois, and Peter (Judy) Woodruff of Stockton, Illinois; two daughters, Helen (George) Hoffman of Barrington Hills, Illinois and Amy (Richard) Price of Libertyville, Illinois; and seven grandchildren, Hillary, Matthew, Anna, Emily, Camille, Jason and Ryan. Richard is preceded in death by both parents and his brother, Robert Woodruff – KIA, North Korea.