Obituary
Graveside services for Earl Woods, 82, of Portales, will be at 2:00 PM, Mon., April 20, 2020 in the Portales Cemetery with Kenneth Broad officiating. David Welch, Bubby Welch, Chris Coddington and Rick Kennedy will serve as pallbearers. Duane Lee, Elmer Reed, Dwayne Hardt, Kenneth Musick, Milz Bickley, Leon Musick, Duane Kibbe, Dennis Darrow, along with all of his nieces and nephews and his many customers and close friends will be honorary pallbearers. Those desiring to make memorial contributions may send them to either the Eastern New Mexico Food Bank or to the Earl’s Garage Account for the Shop Fire. Because of the current restrictions limiting gatherings, we encourage attending by live stream at our website, wheelermortuary.net.
Earl Woods was born Jan. 3, 1938, in Grady, NM to the home of Clesta Pearl (Helsley) and James “Ernest” Woods, and died at his home early on the morning of April 15, 2020. He attended school at Wheatland, and later at Grady. In 1954, at the age of 16, he started work for J. T. Frier at Broadview, where he learned how to be a mechanic. He continued working there until 1961.
Earl met Bennie Castle on a blind date at the drive in movie in 1956. They were married May 15, 1958 in Clovis. Earl and Bennie started their family by having their first boy, Rick, in 1959, followed by Doug in 1961, Martin in 1963 and Jeff in 1966.
The family moved from Broadview to Portales in 1961. Earl went to work for Bynum Motors, and then in 1963 he went to work at Cooper Hobbs Chevrolet in Portales. In 1987, when the dealership closed, he opened Earl’s Garage, and his customers came with him. Earl always loved to sit and talk to his customers, who became friends, and he greatly appreciated every one of them.
Earl loved to mow to relax. In addition, he raised some cattle, loved to go to the mountains, and taking his dog, “Sonny” for rides on the “Gator.”
He is survived by Bennie, his wife of more than 61 years of their home; three sons and daughters-in-law, Richard and Kathy Woods of Portales, Martin and Judy Woods of Hastings, FL and Jeff and Louella Woods of Portales; seven grandchildren, Elaine Nettles and fiancé, Chris Coddington, Tom (Kelsey) Woods, Brad (Linda) Woods, Carolyn Woods and fiancé, Cody Hastings, Christopher (Alicia) Anthony, Sandy Anthony and Kyle Fleming; 12 great-grandchildren, Desiree and Biranna Nettles, Rebekah, Sydnee, Grayson and Gracelynn Coddington, Bayne and Ellis Woods, Emma Anderson, Kayden and Adelyn Beaty and Asher Bowens; as well as his nieces and nephews and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Pearl Green and Helen Duke, and a brother, Hubert Hutchins, and by a son, Earl Douglas Woods who died Oct. 19, 2008.
