Dwight Clifford Woodward, of Merrimack, NH, passed away at the age of 82, on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Elliot Hospital in Manchester, NH, embraced by his loving family, his devoted wife, Carol, daughter, Meredith Leigh Rackliff, husband, Larry Sr., and grandsons Larry Jr. and Brandon, who comforted him until he entered eternal afterlife.

Dwight (known to his friends as Woody) was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Lowell, MA, on April 6, 1944, to Verne Edson and Eleanore (Hartford) Woodward.

Although Dwight’s family lived in West Chelmsford, MA, for much of his youth he was raised by his grandmother, Nora Knox Hartford, in West Ossipee, NH, at what was known as the Knox Gingerbread House. When he was school age, he resumed family life in West Chelmsford attending Quessy School, North School and Highlands Middle School, while continuing to summer in West Ossipee. He attended eighth grade in West Ossipee at Ossipee Central School and then Kennett High School in Conway, NH, before graduating in 1962 from Quimby School in Center Sandwich, NH. After graduating, he began a career in the printing industry in Westford, MA, before being drafted and enlisting in the US Army. In 1965 he trained at the US Army MP School at Fort Gordon, GA, followed by his assignment to the 38th parallel in Panmunjom, Korea, serving in the United Nations Command. After achieving the rank of Sergeant, he was honorably discharged in 1967. Dwight resumed his printing industry career at Murray Printing Company, which later became part of Courier Corporation, rising to Press Room Superintendent. After 44 years of service, he retired in 2008.

It was during his high school years at Center Sandwich’s Quimby School that he met his high-school sweetheart, Carol Lee Daigneau. Following his tour of duty with the US Army, they wed at Center Sandwich’s Methodist Church in May 1967. Former residents of Nashua and Hudson, Dwight formerly served as Hudson Girls’ Softball League Coach and Director and as Trustee at Hudson Community Church.

Following retirement, Dwight and Carol were snowbirds, traveling south from NH to FL. After celebrating their fiftieth anniversary in 2017, they became full-time residents at Highlands Ridge in Avon Park, Florida. They traveled extensively including much of the continental US, Alaska and Hawaii, eastern and western Canada, and the Yukon, as well as Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, France, Russia and much of the Caribbean. After 40 years of marriage, they enjoyed a river cruise from Paris to Normandy and a similar 50th anniversary river cruise took them from Amsterdam through Germany and Austria to Hungary.

Woody was a lifelong Red Sox fan, and during his early retirement years, he resumed his lifelong love of softball, playing with fellow retirees in the Nashua Senior Softball League at Yudicky Field and Sebring Florida’s Sportsplex and with the Florida traveling team. He volunteered at The Alan J. Weinstein Performing Arts Center at South Florida State College in Avon Park and Advent Health Systems in Sebring, FL, as well of Meals on Wheels and CarFit. The couple resumed NH residency in 2023 in Merrimack’s Parker Village.

Dwight is survived by his devoted and loving wife, Carol, and his proud daughter, Meredith Leigh (Woodward) Rackliff and husband, Larry, Sr. of Hudson, NH; two grandsons, Larry, Jr. (Kasey) of Salem, NH and Brandon (Emma) of Mason, NH; his great-granddaughter, Hadley Leigh and great-grandsons, Hudson Elliott and Grady Dwight. He is also survived by his sister Faith Woodward Clark (predeceased by Dean in 2022), of Virginia Beach, VA, and nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his devoted grandmother Nora (Knox) Hartford in 1966, father Verne in 1998, brother Stanley in 2007 and mother Eleanore (Hartford) in 2011.

A Celebration of Life for family and friends will be held for Dwight in the Spring of 2027. A Committal Service will be held later at the NH Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen, NH.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made in Dwight’s honor to the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society or the NH Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen, NH.

Assisting the family with arrangements is the Cremation Society of NH, Manchester. To view Dwight's Online Tribute, send condolences to the family, or for more information, visit www.csnh.com.