ABOVE: Joann Woodward looks at a photo of her husband Woody Woodward as she stands next to some mementos honoring his time as a veteran. After Woody Woodward’s passing on Oct. 23, 2025, the American Legion honored Woody’s request to make Joann the new leader of the American Legion’s Red Cross operations.

FAIRMONT – For five years, Joann and Woody Woodward worked together to hold blood drives for the American Legion and Red Cross.

Woody was a veteran of the Vietnam War and helped grow his father’s Woodward Broadcasting company by working with KSUM radio and launching KFMC. He was inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Museum of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

In the later years of his life, he worked with his wife to collect blood for the Red Cross, which Joann has fond memories of.

“When he would get there [in the] morning, we always went and picked up doughnuts for all workers,” she said. “That was important to him, because he was diabetic. He would greet the people, and he was so excited to see them and appreciated them coming to donate.”

Woody passed away on Oct. 23, 2025. They had just had a blood mobile the week before he went into the hospital, and Woody had a special request before he went.

“We were both there,” Joann said. “He wasn’t feeling really good, but he was going to go, because that was his duty. He talked, I didn’t know at the time that he talked to the commander, Steven Fosness, and said, ‘If I get to the point when I can’t do this, do you think that Joann could? Because she knows all about this, helping me.’ And Steve said, ‘Well, we would have to have a meeting on it, because the person is supposed to be a veteran.'”

At their next meeting in November, the request was brought before the veterans, and it was agreed that Joann would take over her husband’s post. While the first time setting up without her husband was hard, she said she had plenty of help to ensure things went smoothly.

“When December came, and it was time to do the blood mobile again, I was the person that was putting up the posters by myself and getting everything ready,” Joann said. “I have lots of good help. The Legion Auxiliary helps me. I have lots of the veterans that help, too. We are very fortunate in this area too, that we have many women veterans that help with this project. They all help, either with clean up or sitting, greeting the people, checking them in. We have jobs for just about everyone.”

To have been chosen to take over for her late husband, Joann said it is an honor.

“I just hope I do a good enough job for him, because he always thought of everything,” she said “It’s an honor that they felt I could do the job, and to change their criteria, to say that it was okay if I did the job, it is something. I love volunteering in lots of organizations, and I do lots of volunteering in the community, so it is just one of my priorities to do this and be involved.”

So far, Joann said it has been a wonderful experience leading the blood draws for the American Legion.

“It helps people in Martin County,” she said. “It helps people in Minnesota and across the nation, too. It’s just really important to give that gift of life to the next person. Many times it is that gift of life, that pint of blood that helps them.”

For the Woody Woodward memorial blood draw, they have brought in more people and beds so that 20 more units of blood can be drawn than the standard amount.

“This time, since I needed 20 more donors, I did lots of calling as well as people going online,” she said. “You get to visit with lots of people, and they’ll say, ‘Oh, I wish I would have known, I just signed up to donate at Grace Lutheran.’ And I say, ‘That’s wonderful, you’re donating. I’m so happy that you’re doing that.’ It doesn’t matter which location you’re at, the American Red Cross really needs the blood with all of the disasters and the world the way it is.”

The draw will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on his birthday, April 17, at the American Legion on 300 Downtown Plaza, and will have the festivities to match.

“We’re having birthday cake in his honor,” Joann said. “He loved cake because he was diabetic. Not only will they have the snacks that are provided by the Red Cross, everybody can come and have a piece of cake too, in his honor.”

While they don’t have any open spots to register, Joann said they will take walk-ins.

Red Cross Regional Communications Manager Sue Thesenga said she heard about the Woodwards through some other Red Cross staff members. After learning about them and Joann’s willingness and ability to take over for her husband, she said it’s this compassion that amazes her about Red Cross volunteers.

“Ninety percent of our workforce is made up of volunteers,” Thesenga said. “That just amazes me, because we wouldn’t be able to do the work we do in communities across the entire state, or the entire United States, without people helping us like Joann, like Woody, whether it’s collecting blood or volunteering after a disaster.”