Marion Darryl "Buzz" Woods, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, and mentor to many passed away peacefully on February 22, 2017 surrounded by his family. He was 69 years old. Born on January 23, 1948, to Lewis Wesley and Helen Hunt Woods in Salt Lake City, Utah. Due to his father's career in the Air Force, the family relocated often, living in Salt Lake City, UT; Chandler, AZ; Boise, ID; Camarillo, CA; and Anchorage, AK, where he graduated from West Anchorage High School in 1966.
At an early age, Buzz developed a warm personality that allowed him to make friends easily and an adventurous spirit that accompanied the changing landscape of military relocations. When moving to a new city, Buzz and his younger brother David were known to challenge anyone to a game of baseball "over the line", which they most often won. Buzz spent 2 years of high school in Camarillo, CA where he enjoyed surfing, starred on the high school tennis team, and became the city's first Eagle Scout. Upon moving to Alaska, he traded his surfboard for snow skis and his tennis racket for a fly rod. He felt that Alaska was the perfect place for an outdoor-loving teenager to spend his formative years.
Buzz had a lifelong love for music, which he developed through disciplined training and a persistently caring mother. At the age of 16, he presented a solo concert performance of select Tchaikovsky compositions. He was awarded a piano performance scholarship to the University of Chicago, but chose instead to pursue his studies at Brigham Young University. From 1967-69, he served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the West Spanish American Mission. Upon returning from his mission, he graduated from BYU in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and again in 1974 with a Master of Business Administration degree with honors.
On December 8, 1970, Buzz married his sweetheart Anne Rees in the Salt Lake Temple.
Professionally, Buzz was a prominent figure in the Utah business community with a reputation as an inspirational leader known for his sense of fairness and impeccable integrity. He began his career as Controller of Western Hemisphere Operations at Envirotech Corporation. Later, he became President and CEO of Richards-Woodbury Mortgage Corp. In 1990, he founded Republic Mortgage Corporation and served as its President and CEO. Under his leadership, Republic expanded its operations to include nearly 1,000 employees across 80 branch locations in 9 states and became the largest independent mortgage company in the western United States.
Buzz served as Chairman of Title West Title Company, and as a director on the boards of Key Bank Corporation, Home Savings Bank, Liberty Bank, Richards-Woodbury Mortgage Corp., Republic Mortgage Corp., and Old Kent Financial Corp. Holding Company. Buzz was a founding member of the Sandy Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow.
A serial entrepreneur, Buzz was responsible for the creation of over 30 start-up businesses. At the time of his passing, he was actively engaged in the daily business affairs as the owner of C. Kay Cummings Candies, Republic Mortgage Commercial, and Eagle Capital Group.
Buzz served in various capacities within the LDS Church, including elders quorum president, ward mission leader, bishop, ward and stake young men's president, high councilor, President of the Texas San Antonio Mission from 2001 to 2004, President of the San Antonio Texas Temple from November 2008 to October 2011 and as a sealer in the Salt Lake Temple.
Throughout his life, Buzz faced various health challenges with undaunted faith and fearless conviction. Born with a heredity kidney disease, Alport's syndrome, Buzz suffered kidney failure at 30 years old. In 1979, with four young children at home, Buzz was on the brink of death when he received a kidney transplant from his father. Driven by an unmatched sense of will, Buzz's indomitable spirit pushed him to defy the odds, as that kidney lasted 31 years…well beyond the maximum 5-year life expectancy provided by the doctors. In 2010, Buzz received a second kidney transplant through a paired kidney exchange in San Antonio, Texas. In April 2016, Buzz was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer, which had metastasized to the liver. His brave battle with cancer was an inspiration to all those around him, as his intrepid spirit took him to Lake Powell, Africa, Texas (4 times), sporting events and many family outings all while undergoing chemotherapy. Despite all these challenges Buzz never, ever complained.
Buzz had a zeal for life and a love for travel and adventure. An avid outdoorsman, Buzz looked forward to the annual deer hunt with the Heap Big Tribe on the Blue Mountains of San Juan County. Since receiving his second transplanted kidney in 2010, Buzz successfully set foot on all seven of the earth's continents, including Antarctica.
More than anything, Buzz loved being with his family. Never to be missed were annual family excursions to the Tetons, Yellowstone, and Lake Powell. He and Anne were truly the best of friends and loved to do everything together. They traveled all over the world with each other, often citing that their favorite trip was "their next one." Avid sports fans, they had season tickets to BYU football and basketball and to the Utah Jazz, where they were fixtures on the front row during the Stockton-to-Malone years.
Buzz was most known for his kindness and generosity of spirit that inspired many to seek opportunities to grow and brought perspective and meaning into their lives. His humble leadership changed many lives, as he genuinely loved all he served and took great joy and satisfaction in the success of others.
Buzz is survived by his beloved wife, Anne, four children: Kristie Cummings, Prosper, TX; Debi (Michael) Benson, Richmond, KY; Bob (Stefanie), Salt Lake City, UT; Melanie (Jeff) Jones, Lehi, UT; 15 grandchildren; brothers: Chip (Lynette), Clayton, CA; and D.J. (Heather), Kuna, ID. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Darla; brother, David and his wife, Roxann.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 27, 2017, at noon, at the LDS Winder Stake Center located at 4366 South 1500 East Salt Lake City, Utah. Friends and family may call Sunday evening from 6-8 p.m. at the Stake Center and from 10:00 am to 11:30 am prior to the services on Monday. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the LDS Church Missionary Fund or the LDS Church Temple Construction Fund. Condolences may be sent to the family through www.larkincares.com. If you would like to share any memories or pictures of Buzz, they can be sent to memoriesofbuzz@gmail.com.
