Jewel Woods, former Fort Worth mayor and council member, dies at 94
Jewel Woods, former Fort Worth mayor and council member, died May 23. She was 94.
Woods served as acting mayor from 1995-96 after former Mayor Kay Granger left the position to run for the U.S. House of Representatives, according to Fort Worth records. Her husband, Woodie Woods, served as mayor from 1979-81.
From May 1991 until May 1997, Woods was the District 6 council member, when she lost to Clyde Picht, according to Fort Worth records.
Granger recalled that Woods was someone she could trust and depend on. Woods wasn’t scared of tackling tough issues and if someone else was dealing with one, she didn’t hesitate to ask how she could help.
“[She] was never afraid to make her position known,” Granger said.
Woods was always available for both her coworkers and community, Granger said. She took her work seriously, but also made time to visit her constituents.
“She seemed to just have endless energy,” Granger said.
Granger hopes Woods is remembered for her love for Fort Worth. When Granger left her position as mayor, she knew Woods cared about public service and felt that the mayor’s position was safe with her.
Former Mayor Kenneth Barr said Woods was a successful business owner and made strides for economic development in the city. She also worked hard to make sure her district constituents were well-represented.
Jim Lane, former District 2 councilman, worked alongside Woods and described her as a “very kind and considerate person.”
When Granger left the mayor position, Lane remembers Woods making it an easy transition for the city.
“When [Granger] resigned that caused everybody to run around in circles and [Woods] was able to step in and take control,” he said.
