Woody Parramore was a little man who flew big airplanes, B-17s.  "How many missions did you fly?," I asked him one morning on our way to Hardees.   "Twenty and one-half," he responded.

I knew then that he had gotten shot down while on his return flight to England after a bomb-run deep into the heart of Germany. His one regret, one that somewhat embarrassed him to share, was that he was interred for the rest of the war in Switzerland. He said that his place of confinement was a hotel.

Zaccheus found favor with Jesus by climbing a sycamore tree. Woody found favor by climbing spiritual mountains. His penchant seemed to be in serving in missions work. He found great peace in going to where the needs were rather than in waiting for them to come to him.

He served in Russia, China, Ecuador and some other foreign fields that I do not presently recall. He quietly pursued his ministry with no fanfare. That was his style.

Too, he was deeply committed to prison ministry. He went to Kilby, Staton, Maxwell and Draper. He was a cornerstone in a group of prison ministers whose one shining badge was love and loyalty to one another. So far as I know, he never missed a meeting.

Woody never catered to tinsel. As a retired Colonel, he could have driven a Lexus. However, he was content with his older model Toyota. At Hardees, we often joked about washing cars - keeping them spiffy clean. His, like mine, more often than not needed some attention in that area.

Woody would then look out the window and say that his car would get washed today. I would then look out the window, and sure enough, there were rain clouds forming!

He had a heart for the needy, the down and out. Just recently, as we were leaving Hardees a poor-looking man approached Woody and asked him for a little something to help him out. I saw Woody take out his wallet and give the man a bill.

Whether it was a single or a twenty, I don’t know. But as a broad grin broke across that black, appreciative face I knew that it was plenty. That was the Woody that I knew, and I shall never forget the many lessons I have learned from him by just being in his presence and observing.

He now enjoys the Beatific Vision.