Shirley S. Woolard | Eastern North Carolina Now

Born: April 29, 1935, Died: January 5, 2018

    Mrs. Shirley Ann Swanner Woolard, age 82, a resident of Washington passed away Friday January 5, 2018 at Vidant Beaufort Hospital in Washington.

    A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday January 10, 2018 at the First Christian Church of Washington officiated by Reverend Jacob Kines and Gene Baynor. Burial will follow in Pamlico Memorial Gardens. Jeffrey Swanner, Kevin Swanner, Roger Cates, Wayne Baynor, Aaron Lewis, and Rodney Ormond will serve as pallbearers and Ronnie Dee Woolard, Darrell Woolard, Henry Baynor Jr., and Dale Everett will serve as honorary pallbearers.

    The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday January 9, 2018 at Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington and other times at the home.

    Mrs. Woolard, daughter of the late William Clyde Swanner and the late Lona Agnes Baynor Swanner, was born in Beaufort County on April 29, 1935. She was a 1953 graduate of Pantego High School. From 1953 to 1954 she worked for the Department of Justice in Washington, DC. On July 31, 1954, she married her soul mate Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Woolard who preceded her in death on October 10, 2014. In 1969, along with her husband, she established Frank's Jewelers in Washington.

    With her husband being a veteran, Mrs. Woolard was dedicated to veterans throughout her life. She was a charter member of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary Unit 48 of Beaufort County for forty years and held every office of the local unit and some at the state level as well. Mrs. Woolard was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 15 where she was a committee member that established the Veteran's Park and participated in many Memorial Day services there. Her faith led her to the First Christian Church of Washington where she was a very active member of her church and the Christian Women's Fellowship and was a former deacon. Beyond her patriotic and church life, Mrs. Woolard was a member of the A-Z Doll Club for thirty-five years where she served as president and secretary/treasurer. She was also a member of two Red Hat Societies.

    Survivors include two daughters: Patricia Fox of Washington and Linda Czuhai and her husband Thomas of Virginia; a son: Keith Woolard and his wife Wendy of Washington; a brother: Jackie M. Swanner of the Long Acre Community of Plymouth; four grandchildren: Kimberly Spain and husband Dallas, Stacy Whitaker and husband Eric, Sarah Fox, and Ben Fox; a granddaughter-in-law: Teresa Woolard and seven great grandchildren: Amanda Wallace, Hunter Spruill, Mackenzie Seiler, Ryan Woolard, Payton Cutler, Bryson Cutler, and Maddox Whitaker. Mrs. Woolard was predeceased, along with her parents and husband, by a grandson: Bryan Woolard.

    Flowers are welcome and appreciated or the family kindly asks that any memorial contributions be made to the Bryan Keith Woolard Baseball Scholarship Fund, c/o Northside High School, 7868 Free Union Church Road, Pinetown, NC 27865 or to the First Christian Church, 401 East 2nd Street, Washington, NC 27889.

    Online condolences may be offered to the family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com.

    Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington is honored to serve the Woolard family.