Glen Woodruff

September 21, 1942 - March 31, 2022

Glen Woodruff was born September 21, 1942, to Ben and Brunette Woodruff. He was a Garwood Gar, a proud member of the FFA and football team. He claimed to have graduated from rancho tech and rice university, in choosing to be a 5th generation rancher and farmer. After graduation, he started at the top! He took his shovel and worked his way to the bottom (of the field)! His greatest mentor was his father. He listened and learned from older, wiser men, including John Halamicek, George Rich, Charles Drapela, Gene Reitz, Adolph Pasak, Tom Melcher and more. He was a good steward of the land he worked. He never over-grazed or over-farmed God’s ground, ensuring that his grandsons would be the 5th generation on the same ranch. He loved animals more than people, evident in his cattle, horses, cow dogs, cats, chickens, pet buzzards, deer, skunks, wild hogs, owls and more. He was an old-school man of his word; his handshake was a contract. He was a loyal friend and a fierce enemy. (He had a pistol in his boot for a reason.) You didn’t wonder which you were or where he stood. He loved and hated wholeheartedly. He was a man of deep faith, but not organized religion. Glen could talk his way out of a Colorado speeding ticket and into a guided elk hunt, turn a leaky radiator in Wyoming into lifelong friendships. Friends and strangers alike made for good conversations. When he came across a “lost cause” who needed a boost and a loan, he gave it. If you worked for him, you ate with him, and he considered you, his friend. It didn’t matter if you were a mechanic, parts man, cobbler, accountant, plumber, waitress, banker or electrician, he liked you. He might be challenged by a TV remote, but he could operate his equipment with finesse. He loved his cows, only retiring from ranching after a bout with shingles (Get your shot!) that kept him from walking well. A recent stroke finally did him in. He and his family owned South Texas Fertilizer. Glen was an honorary FFA Chapter Farmer, a member of the Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association, Independent Cattlemen’s Association, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and a Patron Life Member of the National Rifle Association. He was a director of the Wharton County Farm Bureau and Wharton County 100 Club. (He, Kathy and his folks were the first to sponsor pistols for the officers of the year and donated quartered calves to officers.) He was the Texas Game Warden Association Conservationist Member for 1986 and Region 4 Associate Member for 2000. He was a vocal member of the Republican Party: not politically correct, just correct. Glen was a proud supporter of the Garwood Volunteer Fire Department. In his “first life” of 14 years, he and Donna had a great pair of kids. In his “second life” of going on 44 years, he and Kathy had another great pair of kids. At this point, Glen is better than “fair to middling”, as he always said. He will be greatly missed by Kathy, Terri, Jody and Sandra, Katie and Mike, Bennie and Valerie, grandkids Caitlin and Erick, Kimberly and Sergio, Rowdy, Mason, Logan; great grandson Kamdyn; nephew Jay and Tanya, niece Judy; 13 members of his class of ’60, and countless close friends. Honoring his wishes, there will be no funeral services. An ag pilot will spread his cremains over the ranch where he spent his entire working life. Donations in his memory can be made to Garwood Vol. Fire Department P.O. Box 131 Garwood, TX 77442 Triska Funeral Home, El Campo, 979-543-3681