Obituary for Mary Margaret Woodward (Eungard)
Mary Margaret Woodward, a faithful servant of her Heavenly Father at home as a wife and devoted mother, and to an extended family, and to generations of children, entered peacefully into God’s eternal kingdom on September 4, 2022. She lived boldly and joyfully for 91 years.
Mary is preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Kenneth E. Woodward. She is the mother of Stephen M. Woodward of Pinehurst, North Carolina; and Kristi Woodward Burke of Union Bridge, Maryland.
Mary’s grandchildren are Stephanie Jordan Frye (spouse of David Frye) of Henrico, Virginia; Rebekah Leigh O’Connell; Ethan Mark O’Connell (spouse of CatyScarlett O’Connell) of Fredericksburg, Virginia; and Aleksandra L. Woodward of Pinehurst, North Carolina.
A native of Illinois, Mary was raised in Joliet with her older sister Jane McClintock of Peru, Illinois, and their younger brother Harry “Bud” Eungard Jr., deceased, of Plainfield, Illinois. She was known by siblings and childhood friends alike as “Sis”.
The Eungards were hard working mid-Westerners who enjoyed motorsports, and lived true to their American values and Christian faith. Mary’s parents were instrumental in the formation of a community church in the late 1930s in Joliet.
Mary and Ken were wed in March 1956 in Oglesby, Illinois. Her sister’s husband, the late Rev. Donald McClintock, officiated the marriage ceremony. They honeymooned in Florida, where, on their first stop over the state border Mary took one look at the dingy motel room Ken “discovered” and proceeded to burst into tears.
The couple moved to Arlington, Virginia, and the Washington, D.C., area, where Ken had begun a career of federal government service at The Harry Diamond Laboratories. They entered parenthood in 1961, with the arrival of Steve. Kristi was born in 1964. The family relocated to McLean, Virginia. As a pre-schooler Kristi was enrolled in The Mulford School, where Mary befriended its founder, Beverley Mulford.
Mary joined the staff of Mulford School in 1969. She and Ken moved the family to Vienna, Virginia, in May 1971, and the Mulford School relocated to a Civil War-era estate in Centreville, Virginia, around that same time.
Mary’s Mulford School career spanned 50 years, concluding with her retirement in 2019. During a celebration of Mary’s 90th birthday in May 2021 Mulford School teachers, present and past, represented the majority of the guest list, and led a rousing rendition of, “All Day Long It’s Somebody’s Birthday!”
Across the decades, Mary cherished her extended family, and was tireless in her preparation for the annual arrival of a new classroom full of shining, sometimes teary eyed, faces. She relished teaching children how to express themselves through word play games, rhymes, and songs. Along the way, knees and hips wore out, but they were soon replaced; Mary was not about to yield to the passage of time. She loved re-telling the story of permanently injuring a tendon in her left foot after demonstrating to her eager classroom how to jump like a frog.
Her life will be memorialized and celebrated during a service and reception on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Columbia Baptist Church, 103 W. Columbia Street Falls Church, Virginia, where she and Ken were congregation members for more than 40 years.
A private service will follow at the National Memorial Park cemetery, Falls Church, Virginia.
Arrangements by Burrier-Queen Funeral Home & Crematory, P.A. Online Condolences at www.Burrier-Queen.com.
Mary is preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Kenneth E. Woodward. She is the mother of Stephen M. Woodward of Pinehurst, North Carolina; and Kristi Woodward Burke of Union Bridge, Maryland.
Mary’s grandchildren are Stephanie Jordan Frye (spouse of David Frye) of Henrico, Virginia; Rebekah Leigh O’Connell; Ethan Mark O’Connell (spouse of CatyScarlett O’Connell) of Fredericksburg, Virginia; and Aleksandra L. Woodward of Pinehurst, North Carolina.
A native of Illinois, Mary was raised in Joliet with her older sister Jane McClintock of Peru, Illinois, and their younger brother Harry “Bud” Eungard Jr., deceased, of Plainfield, Illinois. She was known by siblings and childhood friends alike as “Sis”.
The Eungards were hard working mid-Westerners who enjoyed motorsports, and lived true to their American values and Christian faith. Mary’s parents were instrumental in the formation of a community church in the late 1930s in Joliet.
Mary and Ken were wed in March 1956 in Oglesby, Illinois. Her sister’s husband, the late Rev. Donald McClintock, officiated the marriage ceremony. They honeymooned in Florida, where, on their first stop over the state border Mary took one look at the dingy motel room Ken “discovered” and proceeded to burst into tears.
The couple moved to Arlington, Virginia, and the Washington, D.C., area, where Ken had begun a career of federal government service at The Harry Diamond Laboratories. They entered parenthood in 1961, with the arrival of Steve. Kristi was born in 1964. The family relocated to McLean, Virginia. As a pre-schooler Kristi was enrolled in The Mulford School, where Mary befriended its founder, Beverley Mulford.
Mary joined the staff of Mulford School in 1969. She and Ken moved the family to Vienna, Virginia, in May 1971, and the Mulford School relocated to a Civil War-era estate in Centreville, Virginia, around that same time.
Mary’s Mulford School career spanned 50 years, concluding with her retirement in 2019. During a celebration of Mary’s 90th birthday in May 2021 Mulford School teachers, present and past, represented the majority of the guest list, and led a rousing rendition of, “All Day Long It’s Somebody’s Birthday!”
Across the decades, Mary cherished her extended family, and was tireless in her preparation for the annual arrival of a new classroom full of shining, sometimes teary eyed, faces. She relished teaching children how to express themselves through word play games, rhymes, and songs. Along the way, knees and hips wore out, but they were soon replaced; Mary was not about to yield to the passage of time. She loved re-telling the story of permanently injuring a tendon in her left foot after demonstrating to her eager classroom how to jump like a frog.
Her life will be memorialized and celebrated during a service and reception on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Columbia Baptist Church, 103 W. Columbia Street Falls Church, Virginia, where she and Ken were congregation members for more than 40 years.
A private service will follow at the National Memorial Park cemetery, Falls Church, Virginia.
Arrangements by Burrier-Queen Funeral Home & Crematory, P.A. Online Condolences at www.Burrier-Queen.com.