Bobbie Jean Wooll

A beloved wife, mother and grandmother, Bobbie was a 20-year resident of Sun City in Georgetown, TX. She grew up on a farm in Bedford, IA, where she attended a one-room school, distinguished herself as a champion speller, prepared the family meals starting at age 7, and graduated from Drake University on scholarship.

After graduation, she joined IBM in Green Bay WI, as the only woman in a training class of 35. She also became a lifelong Packers fan as a 21 year-old moving to the big city of 87,000 on its way to repeating as Super Bowl champions.

While in Green Bay, Bobbie met her husband, Jim, a fellow IBMer who she was married to for 55 years. They lived in a variety of locations, predominantly Texas, and raised two sons. Always one to stay busy, Bobbie sidelined much of her professional career to mother and developed a reputation for apple pies, organization, sealing in freshness, thriftiness, and baking tasty treats for her boys. She eventually returned back to work in software development where her attention-to-detail made her an exceptional quality control expert.

While a homemaker, she was an active volunteer as a fundraiser, classroom mom, and Meals on Wheels driver. She also served as Treasurer to a number of organizations, most recently the San Gabriel Unitarian Church of Georgetown Texas.

Before grandsons, Bobbie most enjoyed her two-week pack trips into Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness. She also spent many summer months sailing the Great Lakes as Jim’s “first mate” and always had a turtleneck at the ready to ward off the chill. Together they tackled the “Great Loop”, a year-long adventure that included stops in: Chicago, Mobile, Key West, NYC and Syracuse. Despite not being a fan of the cold, Bobbie was always game for a family adventure: backpacking the Lost Coast, strolling beaches, hiking Yosemite waterfalls, crossing into the Yukon, and rafting frigid Class IV white water. She happily transitioned to “grandma” and enjoyed many trips to see her grandkids.

Post-retirement, Bobbie took up genealogy. While she traced and uncovered her own ancestry, she actively participated in the Sun City genealogy club helping others unlock their own puzzles. This research took her across the country to libraries, churches, and courthouses where she became an expert in public record requests and perseverance as she expanded the known boundaries of her family.

As someone who spent time tracking down the facts buried in obituaries, this last part is what she would care about most: she was a fortunate 79-year old to be survived by everyone immediately adjacent to and below her on her family tree.

Bobbie Marshall was born in California on September 5th, 1945 to Robert George Marshall and Marion Ophelia Carson. She is survived by her husband, James J. Wooll; her sons David (Maggie) and Jim (Alexis); and four grandsons. She is also survived by her siblings Jim (Sheryl) and Virginia (Willie), and numerous nieces and nephews. She passed away from complications of Lewy Body dementia on December 5, 2024 in Williamson, County, TX with family by her side.

Very important to Bobbie, if you are a genealogist and want access to her very complete ancestry records, contact her son at [email protected].

Bobbie lived a full life, dedicated to others, and we are comforted knowing that she is now at peace.

In lieu of flowers please contribute to The Dementia Society of America helping to study Lewy Body Dementia.