Obituary of Novella E. Woods

Novella Eunice Athy was born July 19, 1933 to the late Charles Harry and Minnie Estelle Athy, in Philadelphia, PA. she attended Philadelphia Public schools and graduated from Girls High School. She started her Christian journey early, at the Dauphin Street Baptist Church, under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Edward Caffee, Jr. Novella met Dayton Woods in 1958 and they married a year later, on March 14, 1959. They moved from Philadelphia to Chesilhurst, New Jersey shortly thereafter. They adopted 10 children total. Audrey, Mark, Jamila, and Karl were adopted very early in their marriage; and Hakeim, Ramon, Rahsaan Obey, William, Luther and Tracie Woods were adopted later and raised as grandchildren. Novella was a stay-at-home mother with her first four children, but later worked, for more than 25 years at the Chesilhurst/Shirley B. Foster Elementary School. Novella was an awesome cook, making her famous sweet potato pies and/or potato salad for almost every family event. She faithfully canned fruit, made homemade applesauce, and made delicious blueberry dumplings from blueberries the family picked for many years in the blueberry fields of Hammonton, New Jersey. Novella was a member of Grant AME Church for more than 60 years, serving as a Stewardess and usher, until she was no longer able. She also loved attending Mother Earth events at Grant AME Church. Novella is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Dayton Crawford Woods, her brother Bruce, sister Lucy, Marian, Katherine, Edith, Bessie, and Grace. Novella leaves to cherish her memories her children, Audrey Coney, Mark Woods (Wendy), Jamila Woods, Karl Woods, Hakeim, Ramon, and Rahsaan Obey, William, Luther, and Tracie Woods, grandchildren, Jay, Pierce, Corey Coney, Marcus Wilson, Steven and Dannielle Woods, Nyla (Jordan) Ford, Lyric Jones, Melissa and Dayton Woods, great grandchildren, Pierce Jr, Princess, Jamard, Jamiera, Zatarah, Davion, Monique, Jeremiah, Trinity, Jadah, and Jabriya Coney; Great Great Grandchildren, Noella' and Gabrielle Ford, Zakiyah Coney; sister Vivian, and Ella, and brother Kenneth Woods; a host of nieces, nephews and friends. She was blessed with the love and support of very special friends, Priscilla Pointdexter, DeAnn Stanton, Regina Egerton, and Ann Barker, and a special niece, Linda Thomas and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.