Lucy Rhodes Woodman

Published 4:36 pm Thursday, July 21, 2016

Lucy Rhodes Woodman, 75, of Cheyenne, Wyo. passed away July 8, 2016. She was born August 16, 1940 in Tryon, N.C. She was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, James Woodman, and her parents, Clarence and Ramona Brock Rhodes. She is survived by sisters Carolyn Belle Roberts of Spartanburg, S.C., and Patricia Williams of Winston-Salem, N.C.; nieces Hannah Roberts Brockow of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Elaine Williams Phelps of Winston-Salem and Audrey Williams of Chapel Hill, N.C.; children Claudia of Denver, Colo., Jeff (Lisa) of Santa Fe, N.M., Andrew (Misty) of Cheyenne, and grandchildren Andrew James and Sebastian “Bobby “Woodman as well as Mercedes and Clayton Krospic.

Lucy earned her associate degree at Mars Hill and B.A. in music at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and was a member of the Mu Phi Epsilon music sorority. She completed her M.A. in music in 1965 at the University of Colorado, Boulder where she was strongly influenced by her mentor, noted composer George Crumb. She then moved to Cheyenne in 1965 and married Jim, also a music teacher. Lucy taught private piano lessons, composed, performed, and served as the organist for various Cheyenne churches. She also enjoyed gardening, art, friends and family.

She was certified by the Music Teachers National Association as a piano teacher and she held a Professional Certificate in Piano and Composition. She was president of the Cheyenne Music Teachers Association in 1970 and 1989. A prolific composer, Lucy won the Artcore New Music Competition in 1991 with “A Prayer for Peace.” In 1992 she was awarded a Performing Arts Fellowship from the Wyoming Arts Council. She was also a member of ASCAP and National Guild of Piano Teachers.

Lucy was recognized by St. Mark’s Church for outstanding ministry in 2015 for organizing a multicultural speaker series. She was active in Chapter 7001 of the Daughters of the American Revolution, having recently received the Daughter’s Choice Award in Music. Her commitment to justice was reflected by her strong support of the Southern Poverty Law Center – in 2013 she and husband Jim were gold 5-star members.

In 2010, the Tryon Community Chorus performed “Shades of Bucksome Hollow,” Lucy’s final tribute to the area.

A beautiful memorial service was held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Cheyenne. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to St. Mark’s Church or the Southern Poverty Law Center (www.splcenter.org).

– Submitted by Jeff Woodman