Iris Dolores Willsey Woodard, loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend passed away on Friday, September 17, 2021. She was born May 6, 1928, in Brough, Saskatchewan, Canada, to Dora and James Willsey. In the fall of 1936, the family moved to Ontario where they farmed fourteen miles from the town of Rainy River. They raised saddle horses and Shetland ponies. In 1939 the Willseys moved back to the United States. They settled in Waverly, Iowa where Iris (age 11) entered the seventh grade. She joined the Girl Scouts along with her best friend and continued scouting through high school where she achieved senior service scout level (equivalent of today’s gold award). After graduating from Waverly High School, she attended Iowa State Teachers’ College at Cedar Falls for one year of pre-nursing, and then graduated from Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing in Chicago (1949). In about 1947 the Willsey family moved to West Union, Iowa where Iris met George Barrell Woodard, Jr. They dated, fell in love, eloped, and were married on October 12, 1951. While George joined his father in the insurance and real estate business in West Union, Iris worked as a registered nurse. When Palmer Memorial Hospital was first being built in West Union, Iris was asked to design and set up the surgical unit. Later Palmer representatives asked her to set up a Medical Records Department. Although Iris quit working full time once she had children, she continued to work at mobile health clinics and assisting individuals with medical care in their homes for years. Iris was a faithful member of Bethel Presbyterian Church and valued her opportunities to serve God and others through her church. Iris became involved in a diverse range of community activities over the years. She was active in the Hospital Auxiliary, served on the board of the Northeast Iowa Mental Health Institute for several years, the North Fayette County Community School Board for sixteen years, held all offices in a women’s philanthropic organization called P.E.O which she belonged to for 66 years, was co-founder of a Gourmet Club, and was an active member of the West Union Country Club. Iris helped lead numerous fundraisers and was a diligent worker in support of many of her husband’s civic activities. Iris was selected as West Union’s Citizen of the Year in 1984. Iris was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Marcy Alcorn and Marcy’s husband Vern Alcorn, her sister-in-law Mary Woodard Howes and Mary’s husband Ed Howes. Iris is survived by her loving husband of nearly 70 years, George, and her three children; Nancy and her husband Bill Marker of Clinton, NJ, Dick and Jennifer Woodard of West Union, and Jane and her husband Jonathan Aves of Winston-Salem, NC; four grandchildren, Stephanie and Alex Marker and Brittany and Marissa Aves; her sister’s - sons Kim and Kent Colberg and their families; nephews Brian and Steve Howes and their families. The family also wishes to thank the staff at Maple Crest Manor for their loving care over the last four years. The family would like to thank you for your ongoing prayers, love, and support. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for memorial contributions to be made to either the Dollars for Scholars Fund held by Bank 1st of West Union to provide scholarships to local high school seniors or to the West Union Community Library. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 AM, on Monday, October 25, 2021, at Bethel Presbyterian Church in West Union. Visitation will precede the service starting at 9:00 AM. Inurnment will be at the West Union Cemetery.