Roberta Hart Woods

Roberta Hart Woods, 93, of Abingdon, VA passed away on Wednesday, May 26, 2020. Born September 4, 1926 at Camden on Gauley, WV, Roberta was the daughter of the late Bruce Kelly and Wilda Edra Hart. Roberta’s childhood in Camden on Gauley was never dull. Her older brother, Damon, and younger brother, Glen, worked hard to keep things interesting. If you’ve heard the outhouse story, or the calf/bucket story, you’ll know that their childhood was full of mischief and laughter. After graduating from Fairmont College, Roberta taught in a 1- room schoolhouse in Nicholas County, West Virginia. She married her childhood sweetheart and love of her life, Milton Woods, Jr. in 1946. Roberta began the first Kindergarten program in Nicholas County in 1961. She went on to serve as the four county supervisor of the Food Stamp Program in WV. Roberta was a member of the Summersville Memorial Methodist Church and served both in the women’s groups and as the manager of the Christmas Basket Program. Roberta had a heart for service and spent her entire career working toward education, equity, and inclusion within her community. Those who knew Roberta knew that she was an avid writer. She would often wake before the rest of her household, make a cup of Sanka, and get to work writing short stories. Roberta authored three books of short stories - A Dandelion For My Hair, Dear Kids and Other People and A Shadow I Call My Own. She wrote weekly short stories for The Nicholas Chronicle until age 90. Roberta was well-known for her quick wit and her kind and generous heart, both of which you see at play throughout her written pieces. Roberta’s most treasured title throughout her life was “Nana”. Nana was known for her homemade cinnamon toast, once a year to- die-for Christmas cinnamon rolls, her “side-up kisses”, special lap cuddles (even when you were far too big to sit on Nana’s lap), her ability to write her name backwards, Po-ke-no and War playing, searching the shore for seashells, handwritten love notes and “Little Black Dog” stories. Her love for her grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren knew no bounds - as long as they remembered that “you’re never taller than your Nana.” Roberta was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, husband of 59 ½ years, Milton Woods, Jr. and son, Kelly Milton Woods. She is survived by her daughter, Mary Louise Woods Groves (Vaughn), daughter-in-law, Barbara Woods, grandchildren Patrick Milton Woods, Courtney Groves Winters (Zack), Meghan Groves (Colin), Lauren Groves Sullivan (Scott), Hart A.V. Groves, Joshua Groves, Dominique Woods (Emily), great-grandchildren Brietta Woods Myers, Eliza Hart Winters, Grey Groves, Bentley Woods, Holden Woods, three great- great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Roberta will be buried next to her husband, Milton. In light of COVID-19, a family only gravesite service was held on May 31st. If you would like to honor Roberta, please consider a donation to Summersville Memorial Methodist Church. • Condolences may be sent to the family at www. whitefuneralhomewv.com

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