Mr. Billy Woody

Billy Edward Woody, known fondly by all as “Woody”, passed away on June 26, 2023, at the age of 87. Woody was born on September 2, 1935 in the Texas Blackland Prairie city of Bartlett to Royal Edward Woody and Mura Lee Denson Woody.

Woody was proud to be from Bartlett, home of the famous Bartlett “Hot Gut” sausage. He played football for the Bartlett Bulldogs and was voted the FHA Beau in 1952. In 1956, he boarded a train to Union Station in Houston with a suitcase, a sack lunch and a can of bacon grease prepared by his dear mother.

Once in Houston, he took a job that would become a part of the very fiber of his being, a “Parts Man” at Tommie Vaughn Motors, where he worked for over 65 years. He was a trusted right-hand man, “Bull” to Mr. Vaughn. Woody successfully managed the parts inventory system for the dealership which received recognition from Ford Motor Company and enabled he and Liz to enjoy many Ford sponsored trips over the years. The dealership address at 1145 N. Shepherd was as much his home as any other address where he ever lived. He loved the people of Tommie Vaughn, its employees and customers. During his many years with this family business, he spent 12 years managing the Tommie Vaughn Auto Country dealership in Columbus, TX where he dealt with products beyond Ford to include Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler and Polaris.

Without fanfare, Woody helped many that needed help, fed those that needed feeding and loved deeply those that he loved. It was rare to go anywhere and not meet someone who knew him. He had a true servant’s heart. He also made delicious lemon chess pies.