Charles K. Woodward Jr., 85, formerly of Red Bank, passed away on Tuesday, July 4. Born in 1932 in Red Bank, he was a resident of the borough most of his life. Mr. Woodward was a graduate of Red Bank High School, class of 1950. He was a varsity basketball player and was a member of the Shore Conference Championship Team in 1950. He was also a varsity member of the track team. He won gold medals in hurdling and high jump events at the Shore Conference in both 1949 and 1950, as well as placing third in hurdles in a 1950 state event. In 2010 he was inducted into the Red Bank Regional High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame.
He attended Panzer College before enlisting in the National Guard in 1952 being honorably discharged in 1956. He also served in the United States Army as a corporal, stationed in the United States and France from 1953 until 1955.
A carpenter by trade, he established Woodward Construction Company in 1957, a commercial construction company, before retiring in 2001. He was a member and past president of the Associated Contractors of Monmouth and Ocean County and a member of the Building Contractors Association of New Jersey.
He had a heart for service and was a member of Westside Hose Company/Red Bank Fire Department and the Firemen’s Relief Association. Mr. Woodward was proudly elected Red Bank councilman and was appointed both police commissioner and finance commissioner. He also served on the following boards in Red Bank: planning board, board of education, construction board and juvenile conference committee.
Mr. Woodward was a member of the First Baptist Church of Red Bank. A true gentleman, he was the grand patriarch of his family and generously shared his wisdom, compassion and undying love of family, God and country. He will be deeply missed by those who knew and loved him.
Son of the late Charles Kenneth Woodward Sr. and Gertrude Hendrickson Woodward, he was also predeceased by his sister, Shirley Woodward Beaman; a granddaughter, Caroline Stuart Woodward; and his son-in-law, Mark F. Hemschoot. Surviving are his beloved wife of 63 years, Judith Mazza Woodward, his high school sweetheart whom he married on November 21, 1953; his children, Debora Woodward Hemschoot, Charles Brett Woodward and his wife Alexandra and David Joseph Woodward and his wife Jennifer; his grandchildren, Jeffrey Woodward Hemschoot, David Charles Hemschoot and wife Kathleen, Corinne Woodward Karl and husband Patrick, Robert Charles Woodward, Ryan Brett Woodward, Charles Kenneth Woodward III and Brittany Alexis Woodward; as well as his great-grandchildren, Luke, Mark, Matthew, Andrew and Quinn Hemschoot.
Thompson Memorial Home, Red Bank, was in charge of arrangements. Memorial donations may be made in his name to the Alzheimer’s Association Greater New Jersey Chapter, 400 Morris Av., Suite 251, Denville NJ 07834.
