William V. Woodward, was a professor at the University of Rhode Island, son of Carl Woodward (president 1941-1958) and University historian. Bill was regular here at the Archives.  He wrote Keaney -- If You Don't Love to Play, Pivot and Go Home, the biography of  Frank Keaney.  He was about to release The Runnin' Rams: The History of the University of Rhode Island Basketball , an Arcadia Press publication.  He wrote both books using materials housed in the Archives.  

Bill literally grew up with the campus. He arrived in 1941 at the age of nine when his dad, Carl Woodward,  became president of  Rhode Island State College.  President Woodward and family were the first to occupy the new President's house.   Bill witnessed many changes as the College grew into a University.  He was always at the ready with stories about his beloved campus.  His memory was uncanny and he helped us many times in identifying campus places and people in our photograph collection.  He was always willing to share his knowledge. We frequently lead students interested in campus history to him.  In an 1991 article, Bill said "I really try to be a role model.  The potential for positive influence is immense.  I'm a cheerleader kind of guy."  That "go gettum" attitude was truly infectious; we really enjoyed his many visits to research the Archives.  We, and indeed the entire University community, have truly lost a wonderful person.

Kevin Logan, Records Analyst here from 1982-1999 had this to say:

In 1987 he retired from public school administration, after 32 years, to take a position as adjunct professor at URI, serving as an assistant editor in the Office of Sports Information.  He retired in 1999.  Mr. Woodward had been the assistant principal of Suffern (N.Y.) High School for 23 years, and had previously been a teacher and coach. In 1985 he received the Annual Distinguished Service Award for a School Administrator in New York State, presented by the New York State Federation of Health Educators.

He was a 1950 graduate of Moses Brown School, Providence, a 1954 graduate of Amherst (Mass.) College, received a master's degree and a doctorate in education from Columbia University. He was named an URI Honorary Alumnus in 1994.

He was the official historian of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, and volunteered at the Institute for International Sport and its Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame. Mr. Woodward had served as a URI Foundation Trustee, South County Hospital Foundation Corporator, the past president of the Kingston Improvement Association, and a member of the Pettasquamsett Historical Association.

He served on active duty in Air Force from 1954 to 1956 and in the Reserves until 1964. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Wickford, where he was a member of the choir, a deacon, and a member of the Fellowship of American Baptist Musicians.  He was a charter member of the Friends of Ballroom Dancing. He was an avid golfer, who recently shot his first hole-in-one.

He leaves behind his wife, Grace; two sons, Theodore Woodward of Orono, Maine, and Stephen Woodward of West Hartford, Conn.; a brother, Carl R. Woodward Jr. of Highland Park, N.J.; a sister, Mildred Stackhouse of Fort Myers, Fla.; and two grandchildren.

image,  Greg Mansur, Alumni Bulletin fall 1991, p.20.
biographical information , Projo.com, accessed 30 July 2002
-Sarina R. Wyant