Don Randolph Woods

Don Randolph Woods, age 69 of Abilene, TX, passed away on May 24th, 2013 at 5:50 p.m. on the St. Paul Campus of UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX. Visitation will be on Thursday, May 30th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at The Hamil Family Funeral Home located at 6449 Buffalo Gap Rd. in Abilene, TX. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, May 31st at Bible Chapel located at 2549 N. Danville Dr., Abilene, TX, where Don was the pastor. Officiating will be associate pastor Brian Massey assisted by his father, W.L. Massey. Musicians will be Taylor Woods (violin), Linda Brookreson (piano), and Linda Smith (organ). Soloists will be Brooke Brookreson, Danny Wallace and Gary Simmons. Burial will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park, 5750 Hwy 277 South. Arrangements are by The Hamil Family Funeral Home. Don was born in Goose Creek, TX (now Baytown) to Huie and Melba Woods on July 9th, 1943. He attended school in Borger, TX and Waxahachie, TX completing his senior year and graduating at the early age of sixteen from Southwestern Assemblies of God in Waxahachie. In 1966 he moved to Abilene, TX to attend Hardin-Simmons University and accept the assistant pastorate and choir director position at the First Assembly of God Church. That same year, God led him to his future wife, Carolyn Sue Taylor of Abilene. They were married June 24th, 1966. He earned his Bachelor of Education from Hardin-Simmons in 1967 followed by teaching positions at Central and Bonham Elementary Schools in Abilene. In 1977 he received his Master of Counseling and Guidance from Hardin-Simmons University and served as the school counselor at Madison Junior High, Franklin Junior High and Taylor Elementary, all in Abilene. Following the call of the Holy Spirit, he founded Bible Chapel on Easter Sunday 1978, serving as pastor for 35 years. Don was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Sue Woods; son, Taylor Don Woods and his wife, Stephanie; and grandson, Austin Woods, all of Abilene, TX. Pallbearers will be Chris Moore of Coleman, TX, Billy Ray Crow of Rogers, TX, Chris Watkins of Lafayette, LA, Larry Brookreson of Buffalo Gap, TX, Kenneth Moore of Caldwell, TX and Larry Smith of Abilene, TX. Honorary pallbearers include all men of Bible Chapel.