Woody’s book is the culmination of a three-year effort to research and record the lives and stories of the people of Patrick County. This first volume contains 100 stories across over 400 pages. She stated in a recent interview, “I have always had a passion for local history. I loved listening to the older folks in my family tell stories about how things were when they grew up. I often wished that my grandparents had written their stories and memories down for future generations.” She writes a weekly local history column called Patrick Pioneers for Patrick County’s oldest newspaper, The Enterprise.

Woody serves as regent of the Patrick Henry Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and on the Board of Directors of both the Patrick County Historical Society & Museum and the Martinsville-Henry County Historical Society. She was named “Teacher of the Year 2023” by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). She earned a bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University and a master’s degree from Regent University. She teaches at Martinsville Middle School. Beverly and her husband, Mark, live in Snow Creek with their assortment of animals.

Admission to the lecture is free, made possible by corporate sponsors, Carter Bank & Trust and The Lester Group. The Historic Henry County Courthouse is fully handicapped accessible. The Martinsville-Henry County Heritage Center & Museum will be open following the presentation.