Pendleton Woods
Journalist and founder of Oklahoma Living Legends
Pendleton Woods was born December 18, 1923, in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He settled in Oklahoma City on February 5, 1948. His parents were John Powell Woods and Mabel Hon Woods of Fort Smith. His maternal grandfather, Daniel Hon, was a circuit judge in Fort Smith.
He earned a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Arkansas and attended the Army Command and General Staff College. From 1948 to 1969 he was editor and public relations for OG&E in Oklahoma City. From 1969 to 1981 he founded and developed Oklahoma Living Legends, a state oral history program at Oklahoma Christian College; the project later became part of the archival work of the Oklahoma Historical Society. From 1981 he directed projects and promotion for Enterprise Square, USA at Oklahoma Christian College.
He married Robin Freeman Woods on April 3, 1948. Their children were Margaret Robin Woods, Paul Pendleton Woods, and Nancy Lois Woods. He served as president of numerous civic groups, received the Silver Beaver Award of the Boy Scouts and the Wakan Award of Camp Fire Girls, and was listed in Who’s Who in the Southwest.
Source: Oklahoma County Historical Society biographic sketch form (scan provided by Steve Lackmeyer, September 2026).
