Dr. Jeffrey Woodward

Dr. Jeffrey Harris Woodward, 82, of Reading, died on Monday, May 2, 2022, after an extended period of illness.  Born on April 21, 1940, he was the son of the late Dorothea (Harris) and Van Doren Woodward.

Jeffrey, “Jeff,” was a professor and member of the Albright College Department of English from 1969 until 2005. He grew up in Katonah, NY, a town whose culture he loved, wrote about, and was shaped by. After attending Yale University, he earned his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania before joining the Albright faculty. He became a valued teacher and colleague, teaching a variety of American literature courses to students over several generations. Jeff was a lover of American fiction, film, politics, cycling, and gardening. After his retirement, he became a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Reading and remained an advocate for political and social justice reform.

Jeff was a person of exceptional charm, wit, and learning. He was deeply grateful for the 30 years he spent alongside his beloved wife, Dr. Ann Myers, and the life they built together.

Jeff will be deeply missed by his former friends, colleagues, his many former students, and, especially, by his wife Ann Myers, his daughters Katharine Woodward and Elisabeth Woodward, his grandchildren, Evelyn and Honour, his sisters, Dinah Feinberg and Holly Woodward, and by all who had the distinct pleasure of knowing him.

A Memorial Service will be held in his honor on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at 11:00 am in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Reading, 416 Franklin Street, Reading, PA 19602.  In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Reading, https://uureading.org/donate/

Bean Funeral Homes, Shillington is in charge of arrangements, and online condolences may be made at www.beanfuneralhomes.com.