Remembering Mark Woods: Rockland County reflects on councilman’s life
The 54-year-old died of an apparent heart attack on Friday, according to officials.
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A memorial set up inside Clarkstown Town Hall on Monday brought people together to remember Councilman Mark Woods who died Friday from an apparent heart attack. He was 54 years old.
"He was the best of the best," said Richie Jarcho, of Veterans Angels of Hope.
Woods helped Jarcho’s organization give out turkeys to veterans around the holidays.
"There's no one that I know that can replace a man like him," he said.
Woods was five months into his first elected position for Clarkstown when he died. The councilman served with the NYPD and with the Army in Iraq.
"He was somebody that made you feel special and he really cared about people,” said Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann. "He was the ultimate renaissance man in a way. He had so many aspects of his personality that he brought to everything that he did. And he did everything with such great effort and gusto."
Hoehmann remembers when Woods helped a veteran in their darkest hour.
“Ultimately Mark got him into a program out of the state and the guy is alive today, I firmly believe, because of Mark Woods," he said.
"He is a genuine guy with a big heart," said Carlos Martinez, the CEO of BRIDGES.
A few years ago, Woods became the director of the organizations Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran Support Program.
Martinez tells News 12 "he's a big part of this family that's going to be very dearly missed."
BRIDGES plans to name a food truck in his honor because Woods envisioned it being managed by a veteran to help gain business skills, a legacy the organization plans to fulfill.
News 12 was told there will be grief counselors at Clarkstown Town Hall again on Tuesday to help people of all ages cope with this loss.
Services for Mark Woods are expected to happen next week.
