Heir to the Woodward's department store chain founded by his father Charles A. Woodward in 1891, he started out in 1907 as a bookkeeper for the store, ultimately rising to become company president in 1937 upon his father's death.

[3][2] He was succeeded in that capacity by his son, Charles N. "Chunky" Woodward in 1956.

During World War I, he served overseas in the First Canadian Heavy Artillery.

[2] Woodward was, like his father, a member of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon of the International Order of Freemasonry.

[1] Woodward served as the 16th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia from 1941 to 1946.