WOODS, Dea. Leon Hayes II – Age 70, passed away Tuesday, March 5, 2019 in Tucson, AZ. Family hour 10:00 AM Saturday, March 16, 2019 at The Rock Ministries, G-5318 N. Saginaw St., Mt.
Morris with funeral service commencing at 11:00 AM. Rev. Robert Parrish, officiating.
Interment 10:00 AM Monday, March 18, 2019 Great Lakes National Cemetery, 4200 Belford Rd. , Holly, Michigan. Family and pallbearers will assemble at the church 10:00 AM Saturday.
Dea. Woods will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd. and may be viewed from 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM Friday with the family present from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM to receive friends.
Deacon Leon Hayes Woods II “Paw” was born October 14, 1948 in Natchez, Mississippi, the son of Leon Hayes Woods Sr. and Ethel Mae Hubbard. Leon was raised in Natchez until the age of seven before moving to Flint, Michigan. He graduated Flint Northern High School, “Class of 1967”.
Leon ran Cross Country Track for Northern before entering the military. He was a Production Worker for Chevrolet Manufacturing “Down in the Hole”, a division of General Motors Corporation and was a member of UAW Local #659. Leon served in the United States Army from April 24, 1968 through March 16, 1970.
During his tour of duty in Vietnam he received the following medals: Army Commendation Medal, The Good Conduct Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Sharpshooter N-16, Marksman M-14 and the Bronze Star for Meritorious Achievement in the Ground Operations Against Hostile Forces in the Republic of Vietnam. Leon was certified as a Journeyman and completed his apprenticeship as a Machine Repairman in 1981 and retired after 47 years of service. He was ordained as a Deacon in 2011 and was a faithful member of The Rock Ministries under Pastor Robert L. Parrish.
Leon was also ordained as a Senior Chaplain in 2016 and provided service at Hurley Medical Center. Leon was a Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign War Post #8236. Deacon Woods loved the Lord and was an anchor to his family and his church, there were no in-laws.
He unconditionally loved his family and set an example of what a real man should be. Leon loved his wife and daughters and provided for his family. As a Sunday School Teacher, he seriously studied many versions of the Holy Bible.
Leon was loved and will be missed. Leon Hayes Woods II “Paw” leaves to cherish his memory: wife, Velberia Woods; 2 daughters, Monifa Yvonne, both of Tucson, AZ and Dr. Latefa (James) Duhart of Flint; 4 grandchildren, DeQuan Hayes Woods, Dwight David Little III, Halle Yvonne Little, all of Kalamazoo, MI and Cruz-Malik Judge Duhart of Flint; 4 sisters, Pamela Ross, Glenda Massonburg, both of Chicago, IL, Vincene (Arthur) Cox of Columbus, OH and Roslyn (Curtis) Freeman of Ypsilanti, MI; 3 brothers, Charles (Linda) Woods of Flint, Aubrey (Pricilla) Verdun Sr. of Washington, DC and Drs. Joseph (Harriette) Verdun of Atlanta, GA; 7 nieces, Tishema Ross, Latoya Massonburg, Ebony (Walter) Grear, Réa (Christopher) Yates, Corie Verdun, Vineece (Dogu) Duyuran and Leah Verdun; 7 nephews, Drs.
Aubrey (Nicole) Verdun Jr., Joshua Ingram, Vincent (Keniece) Ingram, Jasen Freeman, Langston Freeman and Clarence Verdun; 2 aunts, Zelia Martin of Memphis, TN and Bessie B. Perkins of Jackson, MS; uncle, Oscar (Tippy) Ross of Chicago, IL 2 special cousins treated as his own children, Maria (Octavio) Williams and Lon Stapelton, all of Flint; a host of other relatives and friends. Deacon Woods was preceded in death by his parents, Leon (Beatrice) Woods Sr. and Ethel Mae (Fate) Hubbard, Vincent (Florine) Verdun; cousins, Joan Stapelton and Carolyn (Parnell) Green; and niece, Candice Woods. The family would like to express special thanks to The Rock Ministries family, Harris Memorial Church family and Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home staff.
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