Republican Civic Leader Dies in Shreveport

Shreveport, LA, Times | 10-13-01 | Obituary Section

[Theodore R.]

SHREVEPORT, LA - Dalton John Woods, an independent oil wildcatter, producer and operator in this area for more than five decades, died in Shreveport on October 12, 2001, at age 80 following a valiant struggle against cancer. A memorial service will be held in the Sanctuary of the First Baptist Church in Shreveport on Sunday, October 14, 2001 at 3:00 p.m. Officiating will be Reverends Bill Hoffman, Nick Davis, and Shannon McWilliams.

He was born in Crossett, Arkansas, on September 12, 1921, the son of Clyde E. Woods and Bernice Wooten Woods. Along with his brother Vernon Woods, the family moved to Shreveport in 1931 and lived in an apartment over a store near the head of Texas Avenue in downtown Shreveport. While living in Shreveport, Mr. Woods developed his lifelong passion for hunting and the outdoors and frequently rode the electric trolley to the end of Linwood Avenue where he would hunt for squirrels and rabbits in the area that is now Wallace Lake to help feed their family during the Great Depression.

Mr. Woods graduated from Louisiana State University with a bachelor of science degree in geology in 1939. As with so many of his generation, his career was interrupted by World War II, during which he served in the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and rose to the rank of Major. He proudly served as a combat engineer in the South Pacific. Following his military service, Mr. Woods returned to Louisiana State University and completed his master of science degree in geology.

In 1948, he began a career in the oil industry that would continue for more than 53 years. His notable accomplishments included the development of the Walker Creek Field in Columbia and Lafayette counties in Arkansas and, most recently, the South Spur Field in Dickens County, Texas. During his career, Mr. Woods served on the National Petroleum Council from 1990 to 1994. He was the author of "Fractured Chalk Reservoirs - Sabine Parish, Louisiana" and "The Smackovers Prolific Walker Creek Field". He explored for oil and gas in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas, Kansas and Nebraska in a career that was marked with both huge successes and dry holes, which simply made him want to drill the next well. He was the Chief Executive Officer of both Dalwood Corporation and Woods Operating Co., Inc.

Mr. Woods was noted as a staunch conservative whose strongly-held beliefs on the topics of liberty, personal responsibility, fiscal conservatism and the oil and gas industry were the subjects of frequent letters to the editor and guest editorials in local and national publications. He was a devoted member of the Republican Party and had served as a member of the State Republican Finance Committee, the Republican National Finance Committee and the Republican Senatorial Trust.

As a graduate of Louisiana State University, Mr. Woods was a dedicated supporter of the university and served a term on the LSU Board of Supervisors in Baton Rouge. He was the past chairman of the LSU Foundation in Shreveport and was the LSU Alumnus of the Year in 2000. His interest in education extended to local schools as well and he was a founding member of the board of directors of Trinity Heights Christian Academy. He was also the founding president of the Northwood High School PTA.

As a leader in his community, Mr. Woods was a past chairman and director of the Holiday in Dixie Ambassador's Club and was active for many years in the activities of Holiday in Dixie. He was also a member of the Shreveport Club, the Shreveport Geological Society, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the AAPG Strategic Committee on Public Affairs, the United States Industrial Council, and had served as the Chairman of the IPAA National Tax Committee. He was a past member of the Louisiana State Board of Commerce and Industry.

Mr. Woods was preceded in death by his parents and brother. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Mrs. Sugar Woods, a son and daughter-in-law, Michael H. Woods and Tracie Whitehurst Woods of Shreveport, a daughter and son-in-law, Mary Woods Keisler and Wade Patrick Keisler of Lexington, South Carolina, and six grandchildren.

[Theodore R.]

Mr. Woods was in the tradition of southern oilfield operators who though reared as Democrats became staunch Republicans over the years. He stood by his political principles and would not compromise or waver.