FAIRFIELD COUNTY – A gala was recently held at Blythewood’s Doko Manor for friends and family to celebrate the 100th birthday of Agnes Gladden Woodard.
Born in the Mitford Community on Sept. 2, 1925, Woodard said she has witnessed many remarkable social changes and technological advancements in her 100 years.
House Representative Annie McDaniel presented Woodard with a resolution honoring her remarkable life and extensive contributions to her community.
Woodard’s family said her life’s work has been rooted in quiet strength, generosity, and love in actions that included church leadership, community outreach, and simple acts of kindness. Woodard regularly visited nursing homes to bring residents comfort, prayer, and handcrafted baskets.
As a member of St. Mark Baptist Church in Ridgeway, in the Simpson Community, Woodard became a Mother Leader under the guidance of her mother-n-law, Lillie Frazier Woodard. She is the longest living Mother Leader of St. Mark’s.
She also served faithfully for decades as a member of the Missionary Board and the Charity Workers of Ridgeway. In these roles, she provided spiritual guidance, mentorship, and unwavering support to women and families within the congregation and the community.
Woodard was employed at Midlands Center in Columbia as a mental health human service assistant. She continued to serve her neighbors, whether driving friends to appointments, helping with errands, or organizing breakfast and lunch outings. She would even loan her car to others.
It became her personal mission to check on other widows in the Simpson community. Her tireless service and dedication to serving others earned her numerous community awards.
Woodard and her husband, James Woodard, Sr., had three children, and Woodard said she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other family members.
Friends say Woodard can still frequently be found socializing at cookouts and playing bingo.
