Obituary of Dayton C. Woods

Dayton Crawford Woods was the 5th of six children born to Kenneth Woods, Sr. and Edith (Briggs) Woods. He was born at the family home in Philadelphia, Pa on June 28,1926. Having no television or pool, singing around the family piano, and going to the 5 cent silent movies at the Wissahickon Boys Club. Dayton was a product of the Public School system in Philadelphia, Pa. He attended Hill Elementary School in Germantown, Pa, Simon Jr. High School in North Philadelphia and Simon Gratz High School in Nicetown, Pa. Dayton was baptized at the Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church ( directly across the street from the family home) as a child. As an adult, his family joined Grant AME Church, Chesilaurst, NJ, where he was a member for marathon 50 years until his death. Dayton completed the 11th grade before enlisting in the Marine Corps and was stationed at Montford Point, North Carolina on December 28, 1943. He was one of approximately 20,000 African-Americans stationed at the segregated Montford Point, beside Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He experienced the challenges that came with being raised in segregation, enlisting in the Marine Corps and serving for a segregated society. Dayton left Montford Point and was stationed in Hawaii for approximately 5 months, as a part of the second Depot Company. He then went to Japan, one of approximately 13,000 African -American Marines who served overseas, and was stationed there for seven months. He was on the high pacific en route to Japan when World War II ended. During that time, the second atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. His company was the first to land on the Bottom Island, Kyushu, in the Southwest Islands of the Ryuku Arc. He was stationed in the seaport town of Sasebo, a city in the Nagasaki Prefecture, off the coast of the East China Sea. He remained there for seven months. After leaving Sasebo, Dayton went to Camp Pendleton Marine Base in San Diego, CA, on a slow ship, arriving on Easter Sunday morning in 1946. He then caught a train from Camp Pendelton back to Camp Lejeune, Montford Point, NC. Private First Class (PFC) Dayton Woods served as a bugle boy during his tenure in the Marine Corps, teaching several Marines how to blow the bugle. He was also a true,pet player in the Marine Corps band upon completion of Boot Camp in 1944. He also received a medal for being a sharp shooter. Dayton was also a lightweight boxing champion and billiards champion while stationed at Camp Lejeune, Montford Point. After not being recognized for their hard work and contributions to this country, the House and Senate voted unanimously to give the Congressional Gold Medal to Montford Point Marines and President Obama approved the measure in November 2011. Dayton frequently boasted of knowing Cecil B. Moore, the famous civil rights attorney, who completed Officer's training school in Quantico, VA, but was discharged from the Marine Corps in 1947. He was refused the title of officer, because he was a black man. Dayton also knew Gilbert Hubert "Hashmark" Johnson, for whom Montford Point was named in 1974. Johnson was the superior Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) who, supervised the Drill Instructors who trained Woods. He also fondly remembered Sgt. Huff, who previously served in the Army, before joining the Marine Corps and who was put in charge of the Black Marines, then referred to as "The Boots". Prior to enlisting in the Marine Corps, Dayton married as a teenager and to this union was born one daughter, Ruth Marie Woods. This marriage was very brief. In 1958, Dayton met Novella Athy. They courted for a year and later married on March14, 1959. They moved to Chesilaurst, New Jersey in 1962. Shortly thereafter, the family greatly expanded. They were the proud parents of Audrey, Mark, Jamila and Karl. They were also blessed to be the grandparents of Hakiem, Ramon and Rahsaan Obey and William, Luther and Tracie Woods, all of whom they raised in their home. Dayton's post - military career included employment with the Selas Corporation in Philadelphia, Pa and later the Atlantic City Electric Company, in New Jersey where he worked until a serious car accident that resulted in a broken neck in 1983. Dayton and Novella participated in numerous family functions, hosted family events and loved to play cards for many years. He was always a fun-loving person and never met a stranger. It was his love for people and conversation that caused his brother Stanley to name him "The Radio" at a very young age. Dayton was preceded in death by his parents Kenneth and Edith Woods and siblings Kenneth, Jr., Sam and Stanley, and granddaughter Angela Woods. Dayton leaves to cherish his memories, his wife of 56 years Novella Woods; children Ruth, Audrey, Mark (Wendy), Karl, Jamila (Michael); Grandchildren, Mark, Allison, Hakiem, Ramon, and Rahsaan, William, Luther and Tracie, Melissa, Dayton, Marcus, Stephen, Danielle, Nyla, Jay, Pierce, Corey, Gabriel and Lyric; Great grandchildren Pierce, Jr., Princess, Jamiera, Jamard, Davion, Catarrh, Jabriya, Monique and Jeremiah; Sisters Mariece Gullet and Margaret (Benjamin) Handy; and a host of other relatives and friends.