Camille Woodruff

Camille (Johnson) Woodruff, 70, passed away peacefully in her home in Casper on Monday, August 31, 2015, after a short illness.

Camille was born to the late James P. and Captola (Coomer) Johnson, on December 15, 1944, in Hazard, Kentucky. She was raised in Dayton, Ohio, and graduated from Meadowdale High School in 1963. Camille earned her Licensed Practical Nursing degree in 1965.

She married Stewart D. Woodruff in 1965 and had two sons, Raymond and Matthew. They were later divorced. In 1979, Camille ventured out west to live on a ranch with her sister Rocky and her husband, Frank, near Lander, Wyoming, where she raised her two boys. Camille followed her heart to Alaska in 1986, where she lived a wonderfully simple and satisfying life in places such as Homer, Seward, Hoonah, and Juneau; she spent countless hours with friends on fishing boats and experiencing all the adventures and wildness of Alaska. She moved to Casper, Wyoming in 2002 after the birth of her first grandchild, Kyle. Camille decided that being Grandma was the job she wanted most, and quickly became the best "Bop Bop" to all four of her grandchildren (traveling often between Wyoming and Idaho); sharing all of her fantastic stories, sharing her eclectic taste in music, taking them on walking adventures, teaching them to play games, and helping them to become independent thinkers and to love life.
Over her 50 year career, Camille worked in many healthcare facilities, most recently at Poplar Living Center in Casper. She shared interesting and unique stories and experiences with her patients, and she knew their "stories" and families. She cared for each patient as if they were her own friend or family, helping to provide them dignity on their journey through life.
Camille was a one-of-a-kind, independent, free-spirited person; she loved her family and her friends, she loved music, she loved nature and the earth, she loved knowing everything that was happening in the world, she loved learning and was always reading about anything she could, she was kind and thoughtful, and gave the most heartfelt and unique gifts.

Camille is survived by her sons, Raymond (Kathy) of Casper, and Matthew (Jana) of Meridian, Idaho; her grandchildren, Kyle and Karli of Casper , and Peyten and Kelsey of Meridian; her sister Roxanne Madewell; nephews Mike Tannreuther, Steve Tannreuther, Franklin (Hallie) Madewell , Sam Madewell; and great-nephews Grant and Cole Madewell.

She was preceded in death by her mother, her father, and her older sister, Jerry Lynn.

Friends and family will be gathering in Tennessee to celebrate Camille on October 17, 2015. Her ashes will be taken by the wind in some of her favorite places.

Memorials can be made in Camille's name to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (jdrf.org) or to The Sierra Club (sierraclub.org).

"And I shall watch the ferry boats and they'll get high on a bluer ocean against tomorrow's sky and I will never grow so old again" Van Morrison, "Sweet Thing"

To share your memories of Camille or leave a special condolence message for her family, please visit the guestbook below.