James D. Woods

James D. Woods, 78 of La Crosse, died on Sunday, January 21, 2018 at the Gundersen Health System of La Crosse. He was born in Appleton, Wis. on August 17, 1939 to Joseph and Mabel (Gutweiler) Woods. He married Sharon M. Wang on October 27, 1962. Jim was a 1959 graduate of Central High School where he excelled in football and enjoyed speed skating at Lagoon Park. In 1961 he began his career at Williams Construction and in 1970 started his own business, La Crosse Backhoe Service Inc. which is still in operation today. Together with his sons and now grandsons, La Crosse Backhoe has been instrumental in countless area building projects. It would make him proud to know that the legacy continues. Jim was also a 55 year member of the Operating Engineers Local #139.

In addition to his wife Sharon, he is survived by two sons; Wade (Vickie) Woods of Stoddard, Wis., Todd Woods of La Crosse, two grandsons; Zach and Cole Woods and three sisters; Doris (Jim) Mathews of Muscoda, Wis., Trudy (Bob) Christenson of La Crosse and Roxanne (Jim) Lonkoski of La Crosse. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one sister Donna Elkins.

Funeral services will be held at 11am on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services La Crosse chapel; 200 West Ave. So.  Entombment will follow in the Garden of Peace Mausoleum at Mormon Coulee Memorial Park, Town of Shelby. Friends may call on the family Saturday morning from 9am until the time of services. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred and will be used to further youth high school involvement in area trap shooting leagues. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to the staff at Gundersen Health System for all the wonderful care they provided Jim and his family.