Family, friends and community leaders made their way to the Kirkland Performance Center (KPC) Thursday afternoon to remember the woman known as the “First Lady” of Kirkland – JoMae Woods.
“I used to walk through downtown with grandpa and it took him forever cause he would have to say hi to everyone and catch up on the gossip,” said JoMae’s granddaughter, Megan Nakanishi, to the nearly 300 people at the KPC. “But it took even longer with grandma.”
JoMae passed away peacefully May 13, surrounded by family. She was 85.
Married to former Kirkland Mayor Bill Woods for 62 years, she earned the title of “First Lady” for her unique part in the Kirkland community and all the friends she had in the city.
JoMae was not only by her husband’s side during his years in city government, but also worked in his pharmacy in downtown Kirkland for 30 years, where she got to know many in the community.
She was born on December 7, 1924 in Casper, Wyo. and raised in Montana. She enlisted in the Coastguard in 1944.
“I think she thought they guarded from the land,” said family friend Karla Frey, who noted that JoMae could not swim.
JoMae and Bill Woods were married in 1947 in Montana and moved to Kirkland in 1955.
She was remembered as the one person would could keep the over 6-foot-tall Woods in line.
“When Bill entered JoMae’s domain it was like Kryptonite,” said son-in-law Dave Nakanishi.
But many expressed their admiration for the Woods’ marriage.
“She was the always auburn haired first lady of Kirkland for Bill,” said Frey, who worked at Lakeshore Pharmacy with the Woods.
JoMae’s love of interior decorating, dressing well and attention to detail were some of memories recalled during the service.
Family friends Pat and Dick Shinstrom of Kirkland reminisced about trips to Egypt, Kenya, Greece, Jamaica and Indonesia with the Woods.
“She loved colorful clothes and in Indonesia they have to wear black for six months when someone dies,” said Pat, noting that her friend stuck out a bit on the trip.
But many remarked on JoMae, who was named both for her mother Mae and father Jo, and her no nonsense attitude.
“Dating Kim was intimidating, but I thought it would be because Bill was mayor,” said Nakanishi of the Woods’ daughter. “But JoMae was the one you had to worry about.”
Nakanishi made light of his long courtship with JoMae’s only daughter.
“I didn’t think that five or six years was a long time, but JoMae did,” he joked. “I tried to stay out of her sight lines.”
Nakanishi told of being at a big party with a lot of people and his future mother-in-law forcing the issue a bit.
“She comes over and puts down a vase right next to me and says ‘don’t you have an announcement to make?'” said Nakanishi. “A couple of things never changed: her elegance and my fear of her.”
JoMae is preceded in death by her brother, Don Baugh and her son and daughter-in-law Thomas J. Woods and Hilda Woods, who were both killed by a drunk driver in December 2009. She is survived by her husband, Bill Woods, her daughter and son-in-law Kim and David Nakanishi, five granddaughters and two great-granddaughters.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests any donations be made to the Kirkland Performance Center (www.KPCenter.org) or Evergreen Hospital Foundation (www.Evergreenhealthcare.org).
