1931-2010
Friends of the Restoration Movement have lost a great friend. The last class that William E. Woodson taught was on the Restoration Movement at Columbia School of Preaching at the Graymere church of Christ. During the class, he became ill and was rushed to the emergency room at Maury Regional Medical Center. He had surgery the next day, but was not able to recover. Below is the dedication published in the 2006 Freed-Hardeman Lectureship book when he and his family were honored during the lectureship in Feb. 2006.
William Woodson personifies excellence in character, ability, and achievement in a distinguished career of more than fifty-five years in the Lord's church. His life has touched thousands of others through his preaching, teaching, leadership, scholarship, and service. Dr. Woodson is a native of Jasper, Alabama, where he grew up under the instruction and inspiration of the late Gus Nichols. He began preaching in Jasper in 1950. He is a graduate of Freed-Hardeman University, Union University, Harding Graduate School of Religion, and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. His doctoral dissertation on the History of the Churches of Christ in Tennessee 1900- 1950 has been published as Standing For Their Faith. After local work in Jackson, Tennessee and Tupelo, Mississippi, Woodson became a member of the FHU Bible faculty in 1959. He served as Chairman of the Bible department and Lectureship Director from 1971 to 1982, while preaching for the church in Sardis, Tennessee. In 1982, he became the first director of graduate studies in Bible at David Lipscomb University, where he retired in 1996. During those fourteen years, he preached for the Granny White congregation in Nashville and authored three additional books. In retirement Dr. Woodson maintains a heavy schedule of preaching, writing, and lecturing. He continues teaching in the School of Biblical Emphasis in Athens, Alabama, and along with his colleague of forty years, Tom Holland, conducts the Preacher Training Seminar at the Graymere congregation in Columbia, Tennessee. While a student at FHU, Woodson met Jeanne Creasy of Jackson. They were married on September 2, 1953 and they are blessed with three children, Melissa, Bill, and Allison, and six grandchildren. They now live in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee and are members of the Pulaski Street congregation. Through his career in Christian education, Dr. Woodson has been an inspiration to countless young preachers. He is loved and appreciated for both his wisdom and his wit. Freed-Hardeman University and the Annual Bible Lectureship Committee is delighted to honor this outstanding Christian gentleman.

Brother Woodson died Sept. 4, 2010. His funeral conducted at the Pulaski St. church of Christ in Lawrenceburg, TN on Sept. 7 with burial in Ridgecrest Cemetery, Jackson, Madison Co., TN on Sept. 8.

Oscar Bruce

1926-2009

Oscar Bruce was born March 18, 1926 and he died at his home in Dyersburg, TN on October 23, 2009. He was a gospel preacher and preached for the Millers Chapel church of Christ for fifty-three years. He was a retired elementary school principal for Dyersburg City School System, a Marine Corps Veteran of World War II having received three purple hearts in the Battle of Iwo Jima. He was the uncle of Mrs. Alan E. Highers.

He and his wife Peggy are buried in the Fairview Cemetery, Dyer Co., Dyersburg, TN, section 1, 2, and 3.