William Gordon Woodburn, 86, of Haverhill, passed away June 24, at Penacook Place in Haverhill.
He was born on January 2, 1929 in Bradford, the son of the late Charles C. Woodburn and Helen N.F. Woodburn, and spent most of his life there. He attended the Peabody and Greenleaf schools and graduated from Haverhill High School in 1946, where he played clarinet in the High School band. He attended the University of Lowell and Merrimack College and was a civil engineer for the Department of Public Works of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts until his retirement at age of 63 after 37 years of service. He was an Army Veteran and served his country during the Korean War and was granted an honorable discharge.
As a young boy, Woodburn was a Boy Scout and a member of the John Greenleaf Whittier Chapter Order of DeMolay. Later, as an adult, he was a member of the Merrimack Lodge AF & AM and a 32nd Degree Member of the Valley of Merrimack Scottish Right. He was also a member of the Aleppo Temple of Wilmington, the VFW, the American Legion, and the Retired State Employees Association. He loved the ocean, and time spent in his youth at his parents’ cottage on Plum Island where he enjoyed fishing with his dad on his boat. He also loved sports, especially hockey and football, and music; he loved jazz and the big bands, they were his favorite. He and his wife, Elaine, loved to dance to the big bands.
In 1951 he married his wife, Elaine (Doucette) and they spent 64 years together and had three children, the late William G. Woodburn Jr., and two daughters, Susan E. Collins of Deer Lodge, Tenn. and Lisa W. Holst and her husband Dr. Walter E. Holst of Duluth, Georgia; three grandchildren, Kristina E. Knecht and her fiancé, Bryce T. Elleby, Eric W. Knecht, and Hannah Holst all of Georgia. He was predeceased by his two brothers, Donald S. Woodburn, and C. Richard Woodburn. He also leaves a sister-in-law, Marjorie Woodburn; a niece, Nancy and her husband Timothy Connell; and nephew Donald Woodburn of New Hampshire. He also leaves a sister-in-law, Claire Langley and her husband Burnham; a niece, Lynne Whett and her husband Glen, and son Hunter of Texas; a nephew, Joseph Amirault and son Patrick of Ohio; a niece, Jayne O’Brien and husband Kevin and children Meaghan and Lauren of Haverhill. He also leaves his former son-in-law, James Collins of Plaistow who was very helpful to him during his illness, and many cousins and friends.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend his life celebration Monday, June 29, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Berube-Comeau Funeral Home, 47 Broadway, Haverhill. A Masonic Service will take place at 1:15 pm in the funeral home. His funeral service will take place on Monday at 1:30 p.m. in the funeral home followed by burial with military honors in Walnut Cemetery, Haverhill, MA. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011
Washington, DC 20090-6011.