Michael "Mike" Hopkins Woodward, 74, of Nashville passed away Wednesday, March 14, 2018, at his residence. His funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 17, 2018, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with the Rev. Benji Rowland officiating. Mr. Woodward will be laid to rest at Union Grove Church of God Cemetery in Eldorado. The family will receive friends Saturday, March 17, 2018, from 1:00 p.m. until the hour of the service at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Derek Rowan, Chris Player, Heys Rowan, Bennett Rowan, John Hayes and Wayne Hiers will serve as pallbearers.
Born June 17, 1943 in Bethesda, Maryland, Mr. Woodward was the son of the late William Luke Woodward and Priscilla Evans Woodward. He was also preceded in death by his step-mother, Simone Courois Woodward; a foster brother, Larry Rowan; and a foster nephew, Jody Rowan. He was a member of Journey Church in Tifton and loved crossword puzzles and all sports, especially football, and loved to draw. He had lived in Tifton for the last 12 years and, before that, in West Berrien for 25 years.
Mr. Woodward is survived by his caretakers since 1980, Bobby and Thelma Rowan of Tifton. Everyone who knew Mike, knew that they were Mom and Dad to him. He is also survived by one brother, Peter Evans Woodward of Michigan; one sister and brother-in-law, Shelley and Alan Carlisle of Atlanta; nephews and their wives, John and Victoria Hayes and Billy Woodward; nieces and their husbands, Chelsea Hayes, Jeanine and James Thompson and Susie Woodward; foster brothers and their wives, Garry and Peggy Rowan of Nashville and Don and Dede Rowan of Newnan; a foster sister, Judy Player of Nashville; foster sister-in-law, Belinda Rowan of Tifton; foster nephews and their wives, Derek and Sherry Rowan, Chris Player, Heys Rowan and Bennett Rowan; foster niece and her husband, Elisa and Taylor Strickland; foster great-nephews, Mason Sikes and Greysen Strickland; and foster great-nieces, Lexi Knight, Annalee Strickland and Paisley Rowan.