WOODFORD, Lyle E., age 84

Died: Saturday, September 2nd, 2017

Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m. on Friday, September 8, 2017 at Hope Lutheran Church (corner of Starr Avenue and Eddy Lane) with Reverend Rick Lund officiating.

Visitation: one hour prior to service at church

Interment: Prairie View Cemetery, Township of Lake Hallie, Wisconsin

Lyle E. Woodford, age 84, of Eau Claire, passed away at Mayo Clinic Health System-Eau Claire on Saturday, September 2, 2017.

Lyle was born on October 16, 1932 to the late Verlett and Dorothy (Bean) Woodford. In 1950, he graduated from Eau Claire High School and entered the U.S. Army in December of 1952. He served as a mortar instructor at Fort Riley, Kansas. During that time, he married a school mate, Phyllis Noyes, of Eau Claire, and they lived off base. He was later transferred to Fort Collins, Colorado in a heavy mortar company with some mountain training. After his military service, he began working for F.E. Grosvold Plumbing Company in Eau Claire and then with Hoeppner Bartlett Company as a general contractor. In later years, the company was sold to some of its members and Lyle became one of the new owners. He stayed there for 39 years until his retirement in 1994. Lyle was a member of the Wisconsin Laborers Union for 64 years.

Lyle greatly enjoyed the outdoors and as a family, nearly every weekend was spent boating, camping or snowmobiling. After retirement, Lyle and Phyl bought a trailer, parking it at Shady Rest Campground on Bear Lake. Fishing and hunting had their priorities.

He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Phyllis; daughters, Deanna Woodford, Susan (John) Kai and Becky (Dennis) Koontz; grandchildren, Jennifer (Paul) Musi, Jill Hintz, Janelle (Nick) Burr, Adam Koontz, and Geoff Koontz (Melissa Wilson); great-grandchildren, Karson, Braelynn, Landon, Brynnley, and Alison; sisters-in-law, Kathy Woodford and Helen (Bob) Millsap; many nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

Lyle was preceded in death by his parents; step-father, Melvin Schwoch; and his brother, Gerald Woodford.