Woodson, Richard Peyton III
Richard Peyton Woodson III, born March 1,1923 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, only son of Richard Peyton Woodson, Jr. and Katherine McMillen Woodson died January 5, 2017 in Raleigh, NC. Peyton grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico and attended Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. He was honored to serve his country in World War II flying 26 missions as a B-17 pilot in the Eighth Air Force in the air war over Europe. While experiencing life changing events, the most memorable for him was the mission one week before VE day. Operation Chowhound flew over The Netherlands to drop crates of food for the starving Dutch masses who were still suffering under German occupation.
In June 2016 the French Government “with endless respect and affection, in recognition of (his) noble contribution during World War II” honored him with the Legion of Honor medal.
After the war, Peyton returned to Princeton and in 1949 graduated cum laude. He then attended Stanford Business School where he was elected President of his class. After his father’s death, Peyton was called upon to return to Albuquerque to run the family grocery business. There he met and married Martha Avison. They soon moved to Raleigh, where he took a role in the family insurance business of Occidental Life Insurance Company of North Carolina and British-American Insurance Company, Ltd based in Nassau, Bahamas. He spent more than thirty years in the insurance industry. His greatest honor was to serve as the chairman of LOMA, the life insurance industry’s largest professional association.
Peyton served on many boards and committees in Raleigh and the Triangle: Shaw University, NC Symphony Society and it’s Foundation Board, United Arts, Chairman of the Triangle Community Foundation board, Triangle Foundation Investment Committee, West Raleigh Rotary Club, Chairman of the "Mayor’s Committee" on Community Relations to bring about the peaceful integration of Raleigh’s public spaces and services. For close to three decades, he served on the board of FHI360, a company that has tackled the challenges of family planning and the spread of HI V/AIDS in more than seventy countries around the world. Several of the years were spent as chairman, as well as serving on the Family Health International Foundation Board. In 2013 Peyton was honored to be inducted into the Raleigh Hall of Fame. He has been grateful for the opportunities to give back to the community as thanks for the many blessings of family, friends and a fulfilling life.
Peyton’s wife, Martha Avison Woodson, originally of Greenfield, MA, predeceased him in 2011 after 58 years of marriage. He is survived by his daughter Sheila W. Horine (Stace) of Asheville, NC; son Richard P. Woodson IV (Susan); daughter Martha W. Dunnagan (Clay), both of Raleigh; seven grandchildren, Margaret K. Horine, Katherine P. Horine, Hannah W. Horine, and William Jessup (Lauren), Alex J. Hughes (Josh) and Peyton R. Dunnagan, and Evelyn F. Dunnagan; three great grandchildren, Emma A. W. Horine, Peyton G. Hughes, M. Addison Hughes; and Millie Sanchez, Albuquerque, NM and Katherine Roe, Santa Fe, NM, the two daughters of his first cousin.
The family wishes to express their sincere appreciation to the staff at Springmoor Health Center and most especially Dr. Wells Edmundson for their outstanding care.
In lieu of flowers donations made to the NC Youth Conservation Corps, a project of the Conservation Trust of North Carolina would be most welcome. Please send to: Conservation Trust for North Carolina, 1028 Washington St., Raleigh, NC 27605
The family will receive friends Wednesday evening, January 11, 2017 5:007:00 pm in the Jane Bell Gathering Space at White Memorial Presbyterian Church.
A memorial service will be held at White Memorial Presbyterian Church, Thursday, January 12, 2017 at 2:00 pm.
Arrangements by BrownWynne, Saint Mary’s St., Raleigh, NC.