John Hall Woodward, beloved teacher, noted historian, expert fisherman and devoted father, died May 25 in Kent, CT due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. He was 80 and lived in South Kent, CT.

Mr. Woodward was born December 5, 1934 in New Haven, CT, the son of Samuel Austin Woodward and Elizabeth Hall Woodward. He graduated from South Kent School in 1953, from Trinity College with a BA degree in History in 1957 and from Boston University with a Master’s Degree in History in 1967.

In 1965, Mr. Woodward joined the faculty of The Hill School, a boarding school in Pottstown, PA, where he began an illustrious tenure that would span 34 years and include positions as History Department Chair, Director of College Advising and Director of Studies. He was known to students as Uncle Woody, a moniker reflective of his avuncular spirit, quick wit and gentle demeanor, qualities that drew students because they could simply be themselves in his presence. But he was at the same time demanding of his students, whom he called “scholars,” challenging them to push beyond rote learning to discover the joy of the material. An unprepared response could often lead to dismissal from class – a “heave-ho” or “boot”, the receipt of which became the stuff of lore and something of a badge of honor on campus.

In addition to instructing United States History, in the 1970s Mr. Woodward created a course called History of Minorities. Without a textbook or set syllabus, the course was innovative at the time for its frank exploration of minority persecution and creation of an interactive classroom forum where topical issues of race and racism could be discussed. The course was consistently cited by his former students as one of the most impactful of their educational lives.

As teacher, coach and administrator, Mr. Woodward devoted his professional life to the service of his scholars. He had the gift to instinctively know when a student needed a pat on the back, a sympathetic ear or a motivational push. On the occasion of his retirement in 1999, The Hill School created the John H. Woodward Master Teacher Award, now given annually to a member of the faculty who “in the estimation of his or her fellow teachers, best demonstrates mastery of the classroom.” Subsequently, to mark his 70th birthday, the school dedicated a history classroom in his name, adorned with a plaque bearing the inscription: “A beloved, teacher, mentor, coach and friend, ‘Uncle Woody’ inspired generations of young scholars to love history, embrace learning and enjoy life.”

Mr. Woodward’s summers away from the classroom, spent at the family’s home in Chatham, MA on Cape Cod, were marked by a myriad of passionate pursuits. He enjoyed a longtime affiliation with the Cape Cod National Seashore, a National Park preserve in Eastham, MA, where he was a naturalist and regular lecturer on topics ranging from the Pilgrims to whales. He was an accomplished fisherman, plying the waters of Nantucket Sound for modest catch, while hooking larger game via charter expeditions out of Rock Harbor in Orleans, MA. In addition, he regularly provided his extended family with shellfish dug from the flats of Oyster River and Stage Harbor in Chatham. In later years, he added lobster traps to his portfolio, delighting his grandchildren with the theatrics of extracting his spoils. On summer evenings, he would often be found at the head of the family table, forehead sunburned from the day’s adventures, punctuating the conversation with an historical reference, a knowing cackle or a warm smile of support.

In retirement, Mr. Woodward returned to his roots in South Kent, CT. He traveled extensively with his wife, Diane, enjoying winters marked by book clubs and devotion to the New York Giants, and summers trolling for bluefish with his grandchildren and reminiscing with lifelong friends. A talented writer, he relished the role of family bard, and no important birthday, anniversary or wedding was complete until he feted the honoree with a finely crafted poem that would move easily from doggerel into moving verse.

At his retirement ceremony, a favorite colleague recalled a story of observing Mr. Woodward on one of the final mornings of his teaching career, sitting motionless in quiet contemplation, gazing out his classroom window: “Perhaps he was watching and listening to the rolling rhythm of the sea, breathless before a vision of his beloved Cape Cod, a place where, with the sunset warming his back, the vodka tastes a bit cleaner, the clams sweeter, and the wind is brushed with brine.”

Mr. Woodward is survived by his wife of almost 54 years, Diane Whiteley Woodward; a sister, Alice W. Funnell of Orleans, MA; a daughter, Caroline W. Grant of Westborough, MA; a son, Gordon H. Woodward of Bedford Corners, NY; and four grandchildren. Mr. Woodward was predeceased by his son, Henry C. Woodward.

The memorial service will be on Saturday, May 30 at 11:00am at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1 North Main Street in Kent, CT. The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: The John H. Woodward Master Teacher Award, The Hill School, Pottstown, PA 19464.

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