Lloyd Woodhouse Obituary

Woodhouse

Lloyd F. Woodhouse

May 14, 1935

October 1, 2021



Lloyd F. Woodhouse, 86, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, passed away from complications due to cancer and COPD, at his home in Colorado Springs, peacefully, with a smile, holding his daughter Debbie's hand at sunset on the 1st of October 2021. Lloyd was born on May 14, 1935, in Norfolk, Virginia to Theodore and Beatrice Haverty Woodhouse. Lloyd grew up in Norfolk, Virginia. He was very close to his brother Milton, and together they enjoyed fishing, hunting, and "getting into trouble" as he put it. A talented athlete, he was Captain of the football team, Captain of the basketball team, and ran track. He exemplified his determination and dedication to sport when he ran the Virginia High School State Track Championship Meet with a broken foot, collapsing after the finish line and yet still managing to set several state records in different events. He graduated from Norview High School in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1955 and immediately joined the United States Air Force and served for over 30 years.



In 1959, after seeing her photograph in a friend's photo album, he artfully arranged to meet Roberta "Bobbie" Perry, a beautiful, intelligent, and spunky young San Jose State University student. Lloyd convinced her to go out on a date with him, and about two months later, on June 18, 1959, with permission from his commanding officer, he married her. Lloyd and Bobbie were married for a loving and happy 59 years until she passed away in his arms at their home in Colorado Springs, on May 8, 2018. Together they had four children: Susanne, David, Ellen, and Debbie, as well as two adopted sons: Daniel Swanagon and Benito Vena.



In addition to receiving numerous awards, while serving in the Air Force, he was named the team Captain of the United States Air Force Shotgun Shooting Team in 1976 and continued in that position until he retired in 1985, achieving the rank of Chief Master Sargent, E9. After he retired from the U.S. Air Force, Lloyd became the U.S. National and Olympic Shotgun Shooting Coach, leading the United States to win over 430 medals in the disciplines of trap, double trap, and skeet.

Lloyd led U.S. teams at six Olympic Games, six Pan American games, six World Championships, numerous Olympic festivals, Championships of the America's, countless World Cups and was instrumental in raising funds so that future shooters can continue their journey in the international shotgun shooting sports. Lloyd was awarded USA Shooting's Coach of the year award five times, and in 2003 Lloyd became the only shooting coach to ever win the prestigious United States Olympic Committee's Coach of the Year Award one of the highest honors a U.S. coach can receive. He retired as the U.S. Olympic and National Shotgun after the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing. After attempting to be retired, Lloyd and Bobbie moved to Egypt in 2009, where he coached the Egyptian Olympic Shotgun team for four years. After the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Lloyd and Bobbie returned to Colorado Springs. In 2020, Lloyd found himself touched and honored to become the 32nd person inducted into the USA Shooting Hall of Fame. Lloyd was known for his dedication to the athletes he coached, his love for the United States, his strong work ethic, his generosity, and his absolute adoration for his wife Bobbie. Lloyd had passions for hunting, fishing, woodworking, gardening, birdwatching, shooting skeet, and training Labrador retrievers with his friends, Jan and Rod Grannemann. Lloyd was preceded in death by his Wife, Roberta Kay, daughter, Susanne Marie, son, David Wayne, and son-in-law, Robert Daniel. He is survived by his sister, Martha Crocker, his brothers, Milton and Nelson Woodhouse, his daughters, Ellen Daniel and Debbie Woodhouse, his adopted sons, Daniel Swanagon and Benito Vena, his grandchildren, Erin Daniel, Sean Daniel, and William Daniel, sponsored USAFA cadets, and the hundreds of athletes he had the pleasure of coaching.



Lloyd's Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held on November 6, 2021, 2pm Mountain Time, at Swan Law Funeral home at Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.



In lieu of flowers, please feel free to donate to the Lloyd Woodhouse Memorial Fund at Ent Credit Union in Colorado Springs, 1(800)525-9623.