Humor
Tim Woodward Explained Boise and Idaho To All of Us
June 1, 2011 
By DAVID R. FRAZIER, editor
At the top of his game like Oprah–but with considerably less cash–Tim Woodward signs off at the STATESMAN after nearly 40 years on Sunday. Like just about anyone who has ever met him, I can call him a friend.
I can also remember the first day he walked into the newsroom and subjected himself to the irascible city editor named Jim Golden. Tim was in his element writing nice things about Idaho folks and Idaho things. Without question he is a fantastic writer. Almost always writing nice things he makes friends easily. Golden on the other hand delighted in cryptic notes and making enemies. His favorite closing for office memos was, “We exchanged unpleasantriess and she hung up.”
When a New Meadows logger kidnapped an Adams County sheriff’s deputy in April 1972 or 73 Tim and I (as chief photographer and former cop reporter) responded to McCall–where it was about 30 degrees– to figure out how to cover the story. At the McCall PD we bumped into a copper who briefed us. Tim’s favorite quote that was never published came when I asked the cop if he had a jacket I could borrow because it was so much colder than Boise.
“Here, take the chief’s jacket. He won’t need it, he died last night,” said the copper. With a warm jacket on my back and Tim Woodward at my side we set out to scoop everyone with front page coverage of a manhunt, complete with posse and shootout.
As he ostensibly has more time for family and friends, it is important to note Tim hasn’t died. He is simply entering a new phase of what so far has been a wonderful life as an observer, recorder, and explainer of who we are and what we do.
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Comments & Discussion
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Jun 1, 2011, 10:26 am
Tim is headed toward a historical perspective as being one of the nicest men to ever sit in front of a keyboard. I will truly miss his reporting while wishing him well in the future.
Jun 1, 2011, 5:32 pm
To Russia With Love
Tim: Enjoy your retirement with your beautiful wife and family.
Thanks for the memories.
Merry Christmas!
KTA (Statesman reporter, 1978-1982)
Jun 1, 2011, 7:56 pm
I would venture to say just about anyone who has lived in this part of Idaho knows the name Tim Woodward nor can they dredge up anything bad to say about Tim.
Jun 2, 2011, 2:53 am
Tim,
Your column and writing will be missed. Now, I only have Steve Crump in the local paper in Twin Falls, the Times-News. Steve actually divides his time between Boise and Twin.
Thanks for the Mylo’s finger steak recipe contest even though I did not know until too late to attend.
Jun 2, 2011, 8:29 pm
David, the Mylo’s finger steak contest was closed to the public, just the contestants, judges and the press were there and I was one of the contestants.
Tim’s columns always took me back to the way Boise was in the seventies when I first moved here. Smaller, gentler and friendlier.
My now 91 year old mother will still never forgive him for the column “Bridge to No Where” about the Veterans Parkway bridge, a project she fought hard for.