OTC sage inducted into Testers Hall of Fame

by Emily Baker

Bitsy Woods fell in love with the man who would become her husband the second he walked through her door in 1963.

Though she was immediately taken by this man named Art who worked in operations research in Washington, she would come to learn about his sense of humor, upbeat attitude and his brain.

“He was very intelligent because he married me,” the Copperas Cove resident said, laughing, as she fondly remembered her late husband.

Art Woods also was respected by the Soldiers, civilians and contractors with whom he worked at the Operational Test Command so much, he was inducted into the U.S. Army Operational Testers Hall of Fame in a ceremony Sept. 12 at OTC Headquarters.

Because the induction was posthumous, Bitsy and the two Woods’ sons, William and Walter, received the award.

“I think it’s wonderful,” Bitsy said in a telephone interview Sept. 10. “Everybody said that (his selection for induction) was a no-brainer. I thought it was a wonderful honor. It’s not really a surprise. They didn’t do it while he was still alive, but I know eventually he would get it.”

Woods, who was OTC’s resource management director until his death, worked at the command since its predecessor’s inception in 1970. He died May 5, less than a week before his 74th birthday.

His passing left a void at OTC, Pat Lisowski, the command’s general counsel, said.

Not only does the OTC workforce miss their friend, they often miss his sage advice, Lisowski said.

“I don’t know how many times we have been at meetings or social functions and someone says, ‘what would Art say,’ or ‘what would Art do,’” Lisowski said.

Col. Curtis Potts took command of OTC after Woods died, but he has heard the question, “What would Art do” on many occasions.

“Although I did not have the privilege of knowing and working with Art, I feel as though I did,” Potts said in prepared remarks during the ceremony. “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t hear a story about him or have someone quote him to me or read a document that mentions him… (Technical Director) Bob Hall says that a smile and a ‘I’m proud of you’ from Art was all it took for him to know he was on the right track. I can’t tell you how many times over the past two-and-a-half months (in command of OTC) I could have used Art’s counsel, experience, wit and wisdom.”

Woods enjoyed reading and discovering everything he could about a topic that interested him, Bitsy said. Lisowski called him a renaissance man because he enjoyed learning and talking about art, religion, politics and sports.

“Between sports, religion and politics, he could always give you a good diatribe and do it diplomatically,” Lisowski said. “He was a great Houston Astros fan and Washington Redskins fan, which put him at odds with many of the local Dallas Cowboys fans. He was a colorful guy. You could see him about some serious matter, and before you left, your conversation would delve into religion, politics or the local fine-arts scene, and it was always entertaining.”

He also was there to help, Bitsy said. He became particularly interested in spirituality later in his life and always could be called upon if someone needed a spiritual companion, Bitsy said.

He also greeted children at OTC Christmas parties dressed as Santa Claus for many years.

“He would go in his Santa suit and greet everyone, and all the little children came to see him and told him what they wanted,” Bitsy said.

But, Woods was most proud of his two sons and five grandsons, Bitsy said.