Kip Woodruff

Kip Edwin Woodruff, 81, of Watauga, passed away on July 25, 2025, in North Richland Hills. He was born on June 21, 1944, to Peris and Juanita Woodruff in Texarkana, Texas. A memorial celebration honoring Kip’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth.  There will be a reception following services in the fellowship hall.

Kip was the son of a Baptist preacher and spent his early childhood in Dekalb, TX. When he was 4-years-old, the family moved to Oklahoma City where Kip graduated from Capitol Hill High School. He played football, was on the wrestling team, sang in the choir and was voted Mr. Chieftain, the honor given to the most popular guy in school. He went on to major in music at Texas Wesleyan College but left to serve in the Vietnam War. Kip spent time in combat, but then was asked to serve as a chaplain’s assistant. He was proud to serve as one of Billy Graham’s bodyguards during his USO tour. After Vietnam, Kip went on to attend Golden Gate Seminary in San Francisco. He served as a Minister of Music and Youth in several Baptist and Methodist churches in the DFW area, as well as Santa Rosa, CA and Springfield, OR. It was at Wesley Evangelical Methodist Church in Hurst, TX, where he met Louise Harris who would eventually become the love of his life. They married on August 11, 1979 and began the adventure of a lifetime together. He then left church employment to open up his insurance business. Kip considered this a continuation of ministry, taking special care of his clients.

Kip was a devoted husband, dad, grandad, uncle, and brother who lived his life in service to others. He loved helping people and was always ready to volunteer wherever there was a need. A true community advocate, Kip co-founded the Sertoma Volunteers and was named Watauga’s “Hometown Hero” in 2023. He loved to support Birdville ISD, mostly behind the scenes. Many people assumed he was on the school board, or part of the district in an official capacity, but he felt more effective as a volunteer. When asked about his title he often responded, "I'm a Birdville Schools Advocate!" He felt called by God to do everything in his power to support kids in Watauga. This meant volunteering to read to kids, providing new shoes, polos for the Watauga Middle football team, school supplies, and new soccer goals. The school staff knew if they had a need they could always call Kip. Even at 81, he considered taking on the role of PTA president at Hardeman Elementary.

He was passionate about city politics and had a special fondness for fire stations. Kip served as chair of the Watauga Library Board and was known for taking action whenever he saw an opportunity to make a difference—even if it meant trimming trees and improving properties without asking first. His faith in God and his love for his family guided everything he did. He extracted the most he could out of an ordinary life and was a constant encouragement to others. Kip lived many adventures in his 81 years, but he cherished his family the most. His generosity and love as a husband, dad and grandad was extravagant, but he would always say "it's just part of the job description!" We will all miss his unending optimism, zest for life, and million dollar smile. But we will hold fast to Kip’s constant refrain: “God’s going to take care of us.”

Kip is survived by his loving wife of 45 years, Louise Woodruff of Watauga; his son, Argyle Woodruff and wife Christina of Fort Worth; daughters, Mary-Kate Woodruff Solomon and husband Shea, and Molly Woodruff and fiancé Bashar Romanous, both of North Richland Hills; and his cherished grandchildren, Reed, Emmylou, and Rosemary Solomon. He is also survived by his brother, Ed Woodruff and wife Debbra, and his loyal dog, Tommy. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Beverly Ellis, and brother- in-law Skeeter.