The Lutheran Church in Liberia (LCL) was a solemn place of reflection and gratitude on Saturday June 14, 2025 as family, friends, religious leaders, and former colleagues gathered to celebrate the life of the late Professor John Togbakollie Woods. The memorial service, filled with moving tributes and emotional recollections, paid homage to a man whose life was marked by deep Christian faith, moral integrity, national service, and global engagement.
Delivering the funeral discourse, Bishop G. Victor Padmore of the Lutheran Church in Liberia (LCL) described the late Prof. Woods as a “beacon of Christian values” and a man whose personal and professional journey was guided by an unwavering commitment to God and to public service.
“Professor Woods lived a life of faithfulness and integrity,” Bishop Padmore declared. “He was a man of peace and principle, always seeking to unify those around him. He didn’t let anything stand in the way of serving God.”
Throughout the ceremony, attendees reflected on Woods’ spiritual depth, kindness, and his ability to inspire through example. The Bishop quoted from the Book of John: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me shall live.” The passage, it was said, defined the faith that sustained Woods throughout his life and ministry.
A man of rare humility, Professor Woods balanced his devotion to family, church, and nation with quiet dignity. Former colleagues described him as generous with his time, wisdom, and spirit. “Let his life inspire us in our various places of work, in our homes, and in our walk with God,” the Bishop urged.
Bishop Padmore concluded by calling on mourners to emulate the examples of the late Professor Woods. “Let us not mourn without hope,” he said. “Instead, let us live in a way that honors the legacy of a man who truly walked with God.”
Honored by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
In addition to religious honors, the late Dr. Woods was also recognized by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the oldest intercollegiate African American fraternity, which transferred his membership posthumously to its revered Omega Chapter — a symbolic resting place for deceased members.
The solemn resolution was signed by General President Lucien J. Metellus, Jr. on June 14, 2025, and read during the memorial proceedings. “In noble peace, he stands alongside our dearly departed brothers,” the resolution stated. “Brother Woods’ life was a testimony to leadership, excellence, and unwavering service to mankind.”
Born in 1936 in Gorlue, Lofa County, Liberia, John T. Woods began a remarkable academic journey in the United States, where he attended the University of Kentucky. On April 19, 1965, he was initiated into the Epsilon Chi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha. He later earned a Master’s degree in Natural Resource Economics from the University of British Columbia in 1968.
His academic achievements laid the foundation for a career that would span decades and shape the landscape of Liberia’s forestry sector. Appointed to lead the Concessions Secretariat at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs—and later the Ministry of Finance—Woods was instrumental in crafting policies aimed at transparent and sustainable forest resource management.
In 1978, he became Managing Director of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), a role he reprised during Liberia’s post-war recovery. His leadership and credibility were vital in rebuilding a sector that had been plagued by years of mismanagement and conflict. Known for his technocratic precision and incorruptibility, Woods also represented Liberia at key international forums such as ECOWAS, the World Bank, FAO, and the African Development Bank, advocating for sustainable forestry policies across West Africa.
In recognition of his vast contributions to national development and international diplomacy, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf awarded him the Knight Grand Commander in the Order of the Star of African Redemption in 2010—one of Liberia’s highest civilian honors.
Legacy of Faith, Family, and Fraternity
While his public service and academic contributions were widely celebrated, it was perhaps his character—his devotion to God, to family, and to ethical leadership—that left the deepest mark. He remained an active and loyal member of Alpha Phi Alpha’s Eta Epsilon Lambda Chapter in Monrovia and continued to uphold its guiding principles: scholarship, fellowship, good character, and the up-liftment of humanity.
Woods is survived by his loving family, his church community, and countless admirers who continue to be inspired by his life of purpose and devotion. His memory lives on not just in policy or parchment, but in the values he embodied and the many lives he transformed.
As Liberia bids farewell to one of its finest sons, the words of those who knew him best echo through the hearts of all who gathered: Professor John T. Woods lived not for himself, but for others—and for the glory of God. “His legacy,” said one mourner, “is not buried with him. It lives within us.”
