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Eleanor 'Kay' Woods, 74, of Paris departed this life on November 18, 2021 in her home. Funeral services are set for 11:00 am Saturday, November 27, 2021 at Paris New Generation Baptist Church with Supt. Bruce Rollerson serving as eulogist. The Rev. Shannon McGuire, pastor. Maxey Funeral will make burial in Restlawn Garden Cemetery.
Eleanor Kay Woods was born to William and Lucille Thomas on April 16, 1947 in Blossom Texas. Undoubtedly, her birth brought an awareness to her parents and others of the impact that “Kay,” as she would come to be affectionately known, would have on the world around her.
The name “Kay” is of Greek origin that means Rejoice and REJOICE is what she did, faithfully. Her infectious spirit caused others to desire to – REJOICE.
Kay is preceded in death by her parents William Edward Thomas and Lucille Thomas, two brothers Henry Montgomery and William B Thomas. Kay is survived by her loving husband James Porter Woods, two daughters Candance Campbell (Brandon) & Mecca Shaw (Wes). 7 grandchildren JaBrala Campbell, Tavin Campbell, Jacovey Campbell, Lance Bruner, Avieon Shaw & Jhorden Shaw. Kay has one brother David Looney (Little Rock, AR), sisters Deborah Thomas (Paris TX) & Joyce Johnson (Amarillo TX). 3 very special Spiritual Sisters Mother Mary Reed, Clinis Pardue & Lonnie Satterfield. 6 God-daughters Sharonta Allen, Sherri Thomas, Renisha Woods, Shandolyn Woods, Quea Kemp, and Althea Green. 6 God-sons Damian Thomas, Nathan Cleveland, Chris Woods, Michael Woods, J’Twone Carey, Jarius Shaw and Aloisius Dunn “Cup”. She also leaves a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends who loved her deeply.
Kay attended schools in the Paris Independent School District and later went on to graduate from Paris High School. She met James Woods and they married in 1968. James and Kay celebrated 53 years of marriage prior to her passing. Kay and James would help many couples out with impromptu counseling. They understood one another and only Kay possessed what it took to handle James Porter Woods. James, in Kay’s hand, was puddy because she was patient and kind and understood that a soft answer turneth away wrath. They went on to have 2 beautiful daughters from their union. With only the oldest daughter born at the time, the family relocated to Amarillo Texas, where she began attending Greater Faith Church under Bishop Aaron Blake. She gave her life to the Lord and began passionately pursing her purpose in Christ. She was filled with his precious Holy spirit and began living for the Lord. She began working diligently in the ministry, with her sister-in- law Sis Cindy Woods. Kay had come to now understand that 2 of the greatest days of her life was 1) the day she was born & 2) the day she found out WHY! She and her sister-in-law would regularly clean the church, do door-to-door witnessing and prayer meetings. There was a transition in Pastoralship of her church Greater Faith and it was now under Pastor Michael Weatherly. Kay, now being skilled in the word and being the encourager that she was, would push her new young Pastor. A few years later a church merge of Greater Faith and Love Community Outreach produced Greater Love Temple and Kay continued her work in ministry. She started a Saturday 7am prayer with Sis Patricia Jones, Deborah Thomas and Renisha Woods, in which they would pray heaven down. This taught and helped develop deeper prayer lives for all of them. She went on to become the Greater Love Temple Womens President and many young and older women alike, found themselves positioned under Kay’s teaching and training. She kept the Women involved and constantly learning. She initiated very successful fund raisers for the Womens department, Women department programs & revivals, outings and would often upgrade the church décor through the Womens department.
God imparted in her, a loving and nurturing spirit that she was so benevolent to share. She had an ability to empower and teach all whom she encountered with love, empathy and compassion. Her soft rebuke made correction bearable. Proverbs 31 ask the question of “Who can find a Virtuous Woman?” Not many can say they have, but if you’ve been blessed to meet Kay, you know a Virtuous woman. She and her husband opened her home to many families and individuals in transition. The number of families that passed through their home in need of lodging cannot be numbered. Husbands and wives who’d fallen on hard times and simply needed a place to stay, whether for a short time or an extended period-of-time, found her home to be their home. Young people who’d left home ill-prepared for life and yet needed some wisdom and direction, found her home to be their home. Babies whose parents were unable to afford the rate of the childcare system found a place in the heart and in the home of Kays childcare. The number of children that she found herself providing childcare to cannot be numbered. She has fed the hungry, she has given to the needy, taught those lacking wisdom, created opportunity for her home to be financially blessed and housed those without, she is a VIRTUOUS WOMAN.
At the age of 50 Kay met a special couple, Lloyd and Lora Brown, who needed a sitter for their newborn daughter. Kay began caring for a beautiful newborn baby girl named Bailey Brown, who would go on to be affectionately known as “Ms. B” to her NaNa K. She loved Bailey so much and that love surpassed just a sitter. She became family to the Browns. So much so that, she found herself overcoming a fear of driving and obtained her license. This to ensure that her “Ms. B” could make any appointment that she had. On many occasions, her husband James expressed his desire to relocate back to Paris and NaNa K would mention that she really needed to wait until Ms. B was older. Mother Woods and James would relocate back to Paris Texas to live out the remainder of their years.
She was all about family and would tirelessly coordinate family reunions. She would put her money and her energy into the reunions. Often times, after these top-notch events, she would become ill because she’d put her all into it. It would sometimes take several weeks for her to recuperate.
Mother Woods became the Mother of the District Department of Women in Paris Texas in 2012. She worked closely with her First Lady District Missionary Gloria Rollerson and facilitated Womens programs, revivals and trainings. This wasn’t foreign to her because God had prepped her years prior and she possessed the ability to organize and motivate women to help. She loved her Pastor Bruce Rollerson and would often brag to her family that he is old school and preaches “straight truth.” She loved her church family Freedom Tabernacle and loved how tight knit and bonded they were.
The Lord gave to Mother Kay Woods an assignment to teach and train and she has finished her assignment.
2 Timothy 4:6-8 - For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
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