Talmadge Hamrick Woodman

Talmadge Hamrick Woodman age 98 (born April 23, 1923) went to be with the Lord on January 27, 2026 at his home with family. He was a World War II veteran and the oldest member of the Cobb County Bar Association. Talmadge was adopted from The Salvation Army Children's Home in Tampa, Florida by Talmadge Rufus Woodman and Lucy Wolfe Woodman and lived in Cordele, Hiram and Powder Springs, Ga. as a child. His father died when he was twelve years old and our country had not recovered from the Great Depression. His mother worked hard to support the two of them. She worked as an in-home caregiver and took in laundry to wash and iron, but her best job was as the nurse and dietitian at McEachern High School where they could live on campus. At McEachern he was voted Most Athletic. He played every sport and he pulled the grass and weeds out of the ground and created a dirt tennis court. He said tennis was a great sport because you can play it your whole life and he played in several leagues, traveling and playing in many towns, several states and winning numerous trophies until age 93. Talmadge joined the Navy during his senior year of High School and was assigned to a small and nearly defenseless repair ship, The Romulus, in the Sea of Japan. They travelled around to the destroyers and aircraft carriers delivering parts and making repairs. Bombs were dropping from the sky and bombs(mines) were floating in the water. His boat hit one mine, but it did not explode. They knew if they met a Japanese destroyer they would be sunk. He always felt that President Harry Truman saved his life as it was predicted that 1,000,000 soldiers would have been killed if the U.S. had not dropped two atomic bombs on Japan that ended the war. One bomb killing 100,000 people was not enough to make them surrender. A few days later another had to be dropped. His military service earned him the G.I. Bill which paid for his college education. He graduated from the University of Georgia and went to Law School at nigh In 1963, Talmadge had a wife (Marie Kelly Smith from Carrollton) and three children and had saved enough money to open a private law practice and pay the bills while building a clientele. He practiced law in Austell, Georgia for approximately thirty years and then joined his son, Steve, in Marietta, Georgia until his retirement. He was known as a good and effective attorney, but never rude or belligerent, always honest, ethical and professional. Several lawyers who he went up against in Court have stated that "he was such a credit to the profession always showing courtesy to the Judge, opposing attorney and even the opposing party." Practicing law was not easy or lucrative in Austell/Mableton in the 60's. The Judges were very tough even on First Offenders and those charged with simply possessing drugs. Many of them showed favoritism to friends and you had to travel to surrounding counties where your clients needed representation and some judges favored the attorney from their County/District over the visiting attorney. (home cooking). There was a Judge in a neighboring County who would only award a woman a maximum of $25 a month in child support, with no consideration of the father's ample income. But the father seldom got custody of his children because according to many judges, "you never see a calf running after a bull. They run after their mother". Talmadge was a loving and kind father, always relaxed and calm. The first line of Rudyard Kipling's poem "If" epitomizes him. "If you can keep your head while all those around you are losing theirs." He could and did remain calm. His children cannot remember him ever raising his voice. He was always calm, considerate, and tried to reason things out. Many people his age with dementia get difficult and grouchy because they cannot understand. He remained calm and sweet. Daddy married Anne Chastain in 1986. She was a UGA grad, sports fan, tennis player like him. When Anne passed in 2019 he moved in with his son, Steve, and wife, Glenda. Steve said, "it was a blessing to live with my father full time. His calm, polite and kind nature was a blessing. When asked what do you want to do or what do you want to watch on T.V. or what do you want to eat, he would say, "whatever you want". He is survived by his sister Billie Jean Young of Charleston, West Virginia; his son, Steve Woodman (Glenda) of Kennesaw, son, Gary Woodman of Douglasville and daughter, Pam Hawkins of Kennesaw; Grandchildren, Brian Woodman (Reesa), Brandon Woodman (Lucy), Katherine Woodman Moyers, (Josh), Mary Hixon (Justin), Matthew Hawkins (Michelle), Amanda Zeller, (Adam). Great Grandchildren Lauren Woodman, Caleb Woodman, Ava Woodman, Anne's granddaughter Casey Van Wynbergen, Haven Moyers, Eisleigh Moyers, Myles Moyers, Luke Woodman, Elle Woodman, Aiden Hixon, Evelyn Hixon, Willow Zeller, Axelson Zeller and Parker Hawkins. At age 98 he had surgery for a broken pelvis, rib and vertebrae and lived in a rehab facility to learn to walk again. He asked if he would be there for the rest of his life. I told him "No you can live here, or with me, Gary or Pam. Where do you want to live?" He said, "Wherever you think is best." To the end he put his children first. Daddy we love you. The family would appreciate any stories, memories, and photos that may be used at the funeral. Please email Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home Marietta or stevetwoodman@gmail.com Funeral services will be at Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home, Church Street, Marietta on Friday, January 30, 2026 at 2 o'clock pm. The family will receive guests for 1 hour prior prior to the service. Burial will be at Mt. Harmony Memorial Gardens, 581 Veterans Memorial Hwy SE, Mableton, GA 30126. Published by Marietta Daily Journal on Jan. 28, 2026.

Talmadge Hamrick Woodman

April 23, 1927 - January 27, 2026