Graysville, Tennessee – William Howard (Hap) Woods, 83, of Clifton, TN, joined his wife, Bettye, of 57 years in eternity as he met our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, up close and personal, Saturday, December 26th, 2020. He was born to Osa Wilma (Jeter) and Claude Albert Woods in, as he would tell it, the main part of Tennessee. Wayne County, Clifton to be exact. Howard, as he was known in Clifton, had 3 children in a previous marriage, Robert Howard, Phyllis Ann & Keith Allen. In 1963, he met and married Bettye Bayless. In 1964, Howard and Bettye moved to Sacramento, CA and had 1 son, Roger Harris. While in Sacramento, Howard garnered the nickname of Happy due to his happy-go-lucky demeanor and the smile on his face. Happy was shortened to Hap, and the name stuck.
Hap did not become a Christian until after the move to Sacramento. Hell, Fire and Brimstone was all that he had heard about Jesus, and Hap did not scare easily. But when he heard about the love of Christ, during a sermon preached by Arthur Blessitt, the Spirit moved his heart and Hap accepted Jesus into his heart as his personal Lord and Savior. Hap was active in his local church, 14th Avenue Baptist, and, along with his best friend, Gary Heitzmann, became a pioneer and integral part of the Royal Ambassador program – a Christian-based, Southern Baptist organization for 1st through 12th grade boys – for the Northern California region, as a counselor and teacher. Hap also taught Sunday School, coached Little League Baseball and sang in the choir.
After an enlistment in the Army, Hap raced cars on the NASCAR circuit, known then as the Grand National division. After racing, he took to fixing cars as a mechanic. After wrenching for 30 years, Hap became an accountant for the State of California until his retirement in 2006.
Hap and Bettye retired and moved to Tennessee. Hap was active at Dallas Bay in the video department running the camera for the live streaming and helping wherever he could.
Hap is preceded in passing by his parents, a teenage brother, Sonny and younger brother, Kenneth. He is survived by his four children Robert, Phyllis Ann Burns (Raymond), Keith (Pam) & Roger (Holly); his sister Rosa Lynn Morris (Charles), his brother, David, his sister-in-law, Jan; and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.
An informal gathering for family, neighbors and friends to celebrate his life and share their stories of Hap will be from 11:00 A.M. (EST) to 12:00 P.M. Saturday, January 2nd, 2021 with his Celebration of Life Service following in the chapel at Williamson & Sons Funeral Home in Soddy Daisy, TN at 12:00 P.M. (EST). His service will be live streamed at their website www.williamsonandsons.com under the tribute section for William Woods. Immediately following the service, you are invited to join the procession out to Beach Cemetery in Pikeville, TN, where we will have a graveside prayer of committal. Estimated arrival time at Beach Cemetery is 1:45 P.M. (EST).
Click here to view a webcast of the service on 1/2/2021 at 11:50 AM, Eastern Standard Time.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of William Woods, please visit our floral store.