WOODS, Larry Kent
Long-time Atlanta journalist and media correspondent, Larry Kent Woods, passed away on April 30, 2024. He was 88 years old. Mr. Woods' career spanned more than 38 years in both print and on-air broadcast journalism. After serving in the Air Force out of high school, he took advantage of the military GI Bill and graduated from the University of Florida in 1963. His journalism career started with the Gainesville Sun and culminated at CNN with his Sunday morning segment "Across America with Larry Woods". During his career, Mr. Woods worked as a reporter for various newspapers and magazines including the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, the Tallahassee Democrat, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as well as Time Magazine and Atlanta Magazine - where he was Editor-in-Chief. Larry also had many years of association with those involved in civil rights and went on to be campaign speech writer for Maynard Jackson during his successful bid to become Mayor of Atlanta. After a short stint with WAGA-Atlanta, he joined CNN in 1983 and remained with CNN until his retirement. His work was recognized by many in the journalism and broadcast/cable community where he was awarded 3 ACE (Academy of Cable Excellence) awards and was the 1989 recipient of the Edward R. Murrow Brotherhood Award -- the first ever recipient that was not a broadcast correspondent. His passion, besides his high school sweetheart and wife Dee (whom he married twice) was reading, Gators football and basketball, politics, good scotch, his children, grandkids, and great-grandkids. His heroes were Ted Williams and John F. Kennedy, and one of his favorite quotes was from Mark Twain who explained the importance of choosing the correct word - "The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter - it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning". As a journalist, that said it all. Mr. Woods was preceded in death by his wife, Dolores "Dee" Woods. He is survived by his sister, Beverly Woods; his four children, Larry K Woods II and wife, Patty Woods, Michael D Woods and wife, Teri Scott, Lori W Peters and husband, Garth Peters, and Melisa L Woods; plus nine grandchildren, and three great- grandchildren with a fourth due in September! His wit, his wisdom, and his words will be greatly missed.
A Celebration of Life for Larry will be held on June 22, 2024 from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM in Atlanta, GA. If you would like to raise a glass with family and friends, please RSVP to mwoods63@gmail.com using LKW Celebration in subject line with number of attendees. You will receive a return email with location and parking information.
In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the Agape Hospice Foundation, 6041 S. Syracuse Way, Suite 220, Greenwood Village, CO 80111. Please reference LKW Memorial in memo line.
