He was in the United States Navy as a Lieutenant during World War II, from 1942 to 1945.
He was a land and title supervisor for the Humble Oil and Refining Company from 1945 to 1949.
He was a member of the Highway Commission of the State of Texas from 1959 to 1968, and Chairman from 1967 to 1968.
[1] Woodward was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on April 25, 1968, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas vacated by Judge Joseph Brannon Dooley.
Woodward served in that capacity until his death on October 2, 2000, in Brownwood, Texas.