Obituary of Howard Gregory Woodard

HOWARD GREGORY WOODARD

Howard Gregory Woodard, age 86, of West Orange, NJ, formerly of Syracuse, NY, passed away peacefully on Monday, June 9, 2025, at the Daughters of Israel nursing home in West Orange, NJ.  Howard was born on June 1, 1939, in Buffalo (Kenmore), NY, the first of three children.  He was a graduate of the Kenmore School System.  Thereafter, he attended Marietta College in Ohio, obtaining a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Biology, and a Master of Arts degree in Education. Howard did post-graduate work at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, while simultaneously teaching science at Henninger High School, in Syracuse.  Howard loved teaching and mentoring children, and was a dedicated high school teacher for over 40 years.  For nearly all of his lengthy and storied career, Howard taught and tutored sciences—Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth Science—to students in the Syracuse City School District, including at Henninger, Nottingham, and Fowler High Schools, until his retirement 2003.

Howard provided unwavering love and support to his family and friends.  He is well-known for his kindness, generosity, compassion, empathy, charity, and humility; his calm, gentle, and jovial nature; and for helping others.  Howard loved passionately his children, family, nature and the outdoors, the sciences, good food, good company, spending time with family, selling tickets at Bishop Ludden home games, pens, and caps.  During his adulthood, Howard was an active parishioner and Eucharistic Minister of the former St. Ann’s Church in Syracuse, NY, and volunteer in his community.  Howard will be missed by all who were fortunate enough to know him, but will live on in our hearts and memories.

Surviving are Howard’s three adored children:  Brendan Woodard of Cape May, NJ.; Matthew and Denise (Egolf) Woodard of Armonk, NY; and, Noelle and Alex Rodriguez of Parsippany, NJ; his three grandchildren:  Colin, Darren, and Morgan; his brother Dennis Woodard of Kenmore, NY, and his sister Sally and Robert Cestelli of Morgantown, WV.  Howard is predeceased by his father Howard George Woodard and mother Geraldine Frances (Wilcox) Woodard.

Calling hours will be Friday, June 20, 2025, from 5:00–7:00 PM, at Edward J. Ryan & Son Funeral Home, 3180 Bellevue Ave., Syracuse, NY 13219.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at 10:00 AM, at St. Charles-St. Ann’s Church, 501 South Orchard Rd., Syracuse, NY 13219.  Internment will follow in Millers Corners Cemetery in Ionia, NY.

Contributions in Howard’s memory, in lieu of flowers, may be made to the Dementia Society of America (http://www.dementiasociety.org).