FARMINGTON – Leroy A. “Piney” Woodman, 81, of Farmington, passed away quietly Sunday morning, March 28, at Franklin Memorial Hospital after a hard fought battle with cancer. His family, friends, and community will dearly miss him.

“Roy” was raised and educated in Dixfield and Wilton, the son of Elwin and Minnie (Hildreth) Woodman prior to entering the Navy. He served in the Atlantic aboard the USS Bates, a destroyer escort that took part in the Normandy Invasion. He later served aboard the LSM 97 in the Pacific and saw duty at Iwo Jima. He was discharged honorably as a Boatswains Mate First Class in Feb. of 1946.

“Piney” married Ruth Madden in 1948, and together they ran The Luce Studio in Farmington until 1972. After selling the studio, he returned to school taking courses in architectural design and drafting before studying real estate appraisal and establishing Piney Acre Appraisals. She passed away in March of 1987.

Mr. Woodman was a former member of the board of directors of NorthEast Bank, which later became Fleet Bank of Farmington. He was a Past President of the Maine Professional Photographers Association, a Past Chairman of the Franklin Memorial Hospital Board of Directors, and a Past President of the Farmington Rotary Club where he was named a Paul Harris Fellow. He was an active member of the Farmington American Legion.

He and Marilyn Thayer were married in 1992, and they began their journey together. They enjoyed traveling and took trips to Nova Scotia, Alaska, the Southwest, and Florida. They enjoyed being creative, making baskets, playing cards, and the company of their many friends. He was proud of the house they designed together.

He was an avid fly-fisherman and outdoorsman who hand-crafted fly rods as well as tying his own flies. He introduced his close and extended families to Pierce Pond where the fishing and friendship are all you hope to find in Maine. He and his grandson, Mike traveled there and “tried their luck together.” “He was handsome and he always said thank-you.”

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn of Farmington; his son, John and his wife, Terri of Dover, NH; his daughter, Jane and her life partner, Blane; his grandson, Michael all of Oakland; stepdaughters, Cheryl Manning of Thomaston, Lori Thayer of North Hampton, Mass., and Meredith Fossett and her husband Jimmy and their children Brandi and Michael of Pemaquid; and two brothers, James Jellison of Livermore Falls and Robert Jellison of Dryden.