Willard Maurice ‘Woody’ Denny

Willard Maurice “Woody” Denny, 78, Trafalgar, passed away Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020 at home following a two-year battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Woody was born on the kitchen table of his family home in Cloverdale on Sept. 28, 1941. This home was built by his paternal great-great-great-grandparents John and Sarah Barger Macy. The first religious meeting in Cloverdale Township was held here in 1824. Woody described growing up in this small town as idyllic.

Woody was the fourth son born to Willard D. and Crystal Branson Denny, who preceded him in death, as did his brothers Jack and James Denny. He was named after his father Willard, but was nicknamed “Widdy” by his mother. This changed to “Woody” when he swung and broke the only baseball bat the neighborhood kids had.

Woody graduated from Cloverdale High School in 1959. He worked at an airport before starting his 31-year career with IBM. While at IBM, he ranked staff sergeant after serving five years in the Indiana National Guard Reserve. He then worked 12 years as a realtor in Brown and Johnson counties.

Woody served as an elder for the Ninevah Christian Church volunteering his time and talents on building projects.

In his own words, Woody’s most meaningful work was “… spreading the Word of our savior Jesus Christ, who took all our sins to the cross.” Woody urges all of us to “pray for our planet, the U.S.A., our service men and women and our churches on a daily basis,” and “to spend as much time with your children, teaching them to be polite and showing them the way of the Lord.”

Woody’s interests ranged from classic cars starting in the 1960s when he bought his first Corvette, to airplanes, motorcycles and woodworking. He built his home, numerous improvements and lastly a cabin while in his 70s.

Woody married Melanie Joyce Riley on April 17, 1976. This was a defining moment in his life and he felt “blessed to have helped raise her two children, Julie Ann and Lori Ann Branch.”

Woody is survived by his bride Melanie, daughters Julie (Jim) Overstreet, Camby, and Lori (Doug) Redeker of Seattle, Wash., five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Other survivors are brothers Don (Barb) Denny of Champaign, Ill., and Jerry (Susie) Denny of Cloverdale, sister Diana (Lonnie) Brumfield of Cloverdale, nieces Deborah (Ray) Zbinden and Brittany Brumfield, nephews Steve and Scott Denny and Bret Brumfield, grandnephew Brian Zbinden, grandnieces Katherine and Olivia Denny and great-grandnephew Elijah Denny.

A celebration of Woody’s life will be conducted on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 11 a.m. at Nineveh Christian Church. Visitation will be Friday, Jan. 10 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Flinn and Maguire Funeral Home, Franklin, and on Saturday, Jan. 11 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the church. Burial will be at Nineveh Cemetery in Nineveh.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ninevah Christian Church Memorial Fund.