Jan. 30, 1941 – Dec. 20, 2023

Funeral services for Dr. Lee Wade Woodard, 82, of Sallisaw, were held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023, at First Christian Church in Sallisaw. Burial followed at Sallisaw City Cemetery under the direction of Agent Mallory Martin Funeral Service, Inc.

Dr. Woodard was born Jan. 30, 1941, near Checotah, to Diamond Joe and Pearl Melissa Lane Woodard. He died on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023.

He was an accomplished scholar, minister, author, and counselor. He served as Pastor at the First Christian Church of Sallisaw for over 11 years and then went on to Pastor at the First Christian Church in Stigler and Wood Memorial Christian Church in Van Buren, Ark.

While serving as a minister, Dr. Woodard also worked for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, the Bill Willis Community Mental Health Center, and was Chaplain for the Sequoyah Memorial Hospital Hospice. But he is perhaps most wellknown for the hundreds of weddings he presided over for the Sequoyah County Courthouse.

He is survived by his wife, Louise Woodard; daughters, Melissa Woodard Cloud (Charles) and Jennifer Woodard; stepson, Todd Brewer (Mona); sister, Shirley Woodard Crum (Don); brother, David Woodard (Rocio); four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and numerous other family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Mary Kay Edwards Woodard; brother, Diamond Joe Jr. (Marie); and two sisters, Ann Woodard Szulski (Pete) and Nancy Woodard Millsap.

Pallbearers were Christopher Cloud, Cody Cloud, Derek Brewer, Charles Cloud, Todd Brewer, Christopher Conway, Jeff Woodard and David Woodard.

Honorary pallbearers were members of First Christian Church.