Bill A. Woodham

Billie Auzie Woodham of Fulshear, Texas, passed in peace, Thursday, May 9, 2013, at 87 years of age. Born September 6, 1925, in Slocomb, Alabama, the son of Auzy and Mary Anna Woodham, Bill was a country boy with humble beginnings. His father was a farmer and carpenter and his mother was kept busy raising Billie and his 9 brothers and sisters, two of which, Carlos and Corrina, passed away as infants. His early years were spent tending to the family farm. His family later settled in Geneva, Alabama, where he met his future wife, Margaret Jean Woodham, when a chance encounter turned into a lifelong love. The two were married on September 6, 1946. During his early years Bill did work in the shipyards in Panama City, then for Western Union as a lineman. Later he learned surveying and did surveying work for seismic operations. As a surveyor he worked his way into doodle bugging and running seismic crews, allowing him the opportunity to travel the United States and learn more about the oil and gas industry. Through these years of gathering seismic data in the field and lots of study, he began working as a geophysicist. After several years of working for other firms he decided to start his own. In the early 60's and 70's he started several companies: Trans-World Geophysical, Woodham Consulting Company, and Houston-Marsh and Marine. He grew Trans-World Geophysical and Woodham Consulting to encompass the entire 12th floor of the C & I Building in downtown Houston. He found great success and worked for many of the major oil companies and by the time he was 51, he closed his offices and started to enjoy retirement. But after about four years he decided he was not through working and he started work creating his own Oil and Gas company. He acquired some Oil and Gas leases and formed Woodham Oil Corporation. He then began to drill his own wells in South Texas. With the success of these first wells, he began to get his family involved and continued to grow his company. He continued drilling and producing Oil and Gas wells until his early 80's, never really completely retiring. In 1968, Mr. and Mrs. Woodham settled in Fulshear, Texas. He loved his community and his church, Fulshear United Methodist. He was a civic-minded man and was a founding member of the Fort Bend 100 Club, which he was president of for a number of years. Billie had many passions, including airplanes, which he learned to pilot and loved to take his family on trips. He also loved fishing, horses, boiled peanuts and sugar cane. But above all was his love for his family. His life passion was to keep his family together and provide a strong center for them. He was always happiest when surrounded by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He leaves behind his daughter, Vela DeShazo and her husband, James DeShazo; his son, Fred Woodham and his wife, Brenda Woodham; his daughter, Janet Martz and her husband, Ed Martz; his brothers, Harley "Wayne" Woodham and Lester Woodham; grandchildren, Brett, Kyle, Melissa, Ryan, Cristin, Nicole, Chris, Josh, and Billie; great-grandchildren, Trent, Brian, Shelby, Charles, Odinn, and Wesley; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean Woodham, his brothers, JT Woodham, Grady H. (Boe) Woodham, Grant Woodham, and his sisters, Hazel Hughes, and Francis Young. Friends may call from 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. Monday, May 13, 2013, at the Schmidt Funeral Home Chapel in Brookshire, TX. Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, May 14, 2013, at the Fulshear United Methodist Church with Reverend Alicia Coltzer officiating. Interment will follow in the Fulshear Cemetery. Bill's grandsons: Brett DeShazo, Ryan Woodham, Chris Philmon, Kyle DeShazo, Josh Chambers, and Billie Martz will serve as pallbearers. Friends who wish may make memorial gifts to the: Fulshear United Methodist Church, PO Box 100, Fulshear, TX 77441 or to the: 100 Club, Inc., San Felipe St., Suite 1750, Houston, TX 77056-2733.