Courtland - Caroline Knight deWitt Woodley died in her home at Westminster Canterbury on December 27, 2007. The daughter of Cornelius deWitt and Cecile Amelie Mottu deWitt, she was born on February 7, 1910 in their home on 12th Street and the Oceanfront. It was the first brick house on the beach and was originally named "Witzand," which is Dutch for "White Sand." The home was later renamed "Wittenzand" after the birth of the tenth child. After the death of both parents, it became known as the "deWitt Cottage." Today, it is home to the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum.
Caroline attended the Willoughby T. Cook School. Later, she rode the streetcar with her brothers and sisters from Va. Beach to Downtown Norfolk and walked to Maury High School, from where she graduated in 1927. Following in the footsteps of her sister, Katrine, she went on to the College of William and Mary and joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. After graduating in 1931, Caroline taught at Creeds, Willoughby T. Cook, Ruffner Junior High, and Franklin High School. During World War II, Caroline and friends were enticed to the Virginia mountains to pick and pack peaches. Though she envisioned a vacation, it turned into difficult work. At Caroline's urging, the "Peach Packing Mamas" decided to head home. Along the way, they stopped at the Governor's Office at the suggestion of Colgate Darden's niece, Kay Lindsay. The governor's cousin, William Thomas Woodley, happened to be visiting at the same time. On July 20, 1946, Caroline and William were married at the old Galilee Episcopal Church. Caroline walked down the aisle and thanked everyone for coming on a 100 degree day.
Two years later, Caroline and William moved from Norfolk to "Beechwood," a farm in Southampton County. Though William had never been on a tractor and Caroline had sworn she would never marry a farmer, they worked as a team and ran a successful farm for the next 43 years. Their pride in Beechwood and its heritage was evident to all who visited. To keep the Pretlow family legacy alive, Caroline delved into its history through meticulous research and interesting conversations with older relatives and members of the community. Caroline was the epitome of a Southern hostess. No one could leave Beechwood without hearing family stories, visiting the barn and graveyard, and being given a kitten to take home. Caroline and William retired in 1990 and moved to the Village at Wood's Edge in Franklin. Soon after William's death in 1994, Caroline moved to Westminster Canterbury in Va. Beach, where her sisters lived.
Caroline was a member of The Franklin Book Club, The Franklin Garden Club, The Southampton County Historical Society, and The Hospital Auxiliary. Survivors include her two brothers, Paul deWitt of Greenville, NC, Peter deWitt of Va. Beach, her daughter Margaret Woodley Bishop and husband Frank Rollins Bishop, Jr. of Norfolk, and two grandsons, William Rollins Bishop and Frank Thomas Bishop.
The family would like to thank the Hoy Center Nursing Staff and the Chesapeake Staff of Westminster Canterbury, as well as her other dedicated nurses, Tammy, Ferlyn, Carmen, Amy, Josie, and Elizabeth, for their excellent care. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to any of the following: Westminster Canterbury Fellowship Fund 3100 Shore Dr., Va. Beach, VA 23451; Emmanuel Episcopal Church Endowment Fund 400 N. High St., Franklin, VA 23851; Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum 1113 Atlantic Ave., Va. Beach, VA 23451.
A service will be conducted at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Franklin on Monday, January 7th at 11 am. Burial will follow at Jericho Farm ("Beechwood") 19637 Governor Darden Rd. in Courtland. A memorial service will be held at Westminster Canterbury Trinity Chapel at a later date, which will be announced. Wright Funeral Home, Franklin, has charge of arrangements. www.wrightfuneralhome.org

Virginia Beach – A memorial service for Mrs. Caroline deWitt Woodley, 97, who passed away December 27, 2007, will be held at 11:00 am Thursday, February 7, 2008 at the Westminister Canterbury Trinity Chapel. www.wrightfuneralhome.org