Mike Woodward (seen here with his wife Lizette), is a geotechnical engineer with WSP.

He came to the Museum by way of the Boy Scouts. Mike and Lizette, who is a teacher at St.Joseph's Catholic School in Mandarin, are the parents of two sons (John and Jim), who were first Cub Scouts, then Boy Scouts, and who both achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Mike is the Committee Chair for the boys' Troop 0473 and the girls’ Troop 9473 that are sponsored by St.Joseph’s Catholic Church. 

It was in this role when he was working with Boy Scout Troop 473 that he met Sandy Arpen. "I got to know Sandy when she was helping coordinate some service projects," said Mike. Sandy recognized that Mike would be a good board member and asked him to consider it. That was in 2015.

Mike is on the facilities committee and can often be seen removing invasive plants and pulling vines out of the trees in an effort to keep Walter Jones Historical Park the gem that it is. He is also on the Black History committee that has been focusing on that area of the upcoming renovation project.  "I have learned a lot. It's going to be very interesting," he said.

As a part of that committee, Mike and his co-worker, James Patterson, took some old Mandarin maps and reworked them to show where some of the plantations and families had been located based on research by Mike and other committee members. That project is most appreciated.

Mike and Lizette are always quick to volunteer to help at the annual Winter Celebration.

"It was truly an honor to be invited to the Board," Mike said.

And we agree - It's truly an honor to have him!

This bust sculpture has been at the museum for many years. It was said to be of Mandarin's beloved potter, Charlie Brown. But it had no information with it and it was not accessioned. And, we didn't know who the artist was because it was not signed.

But now we know....indeed it is a young Charlie Brown AND the artist was Walter H. Marshall Sr. (1907-1996)

Here's how we found out. It was another one of those magical happenings that we encounter so often at MMHS.

Volunteer Cheryl Cummer has just started helping us in our Archive Room. A couple of weeks ago she looked at the bust closely and said, "I think I know who the artist is because he did a bust of me as a little girl - it has to be Walter Marshall!" It turns out that Cheryl's family had once been neighbors in San Marco and close friends of the Marshalls. So she contacted Mr. Marshall's son Terry (who lives in Melrose), who confirmed that it was his father's work.

It just so happened that Sandy Arpen was scheduled to speak at the Annual Meeting of Historic Melrose on January 29 and was able to meet Terry and his wife Jean, who are very active members of this wonderful organization. They provided information about Walter, including a list of all the busts he had done and this photo!

Mr. Marshall is seen here working on one of his pieces in his studio in 1964. He did over 150 busts, all while working full-time for the Florida Dept. of Health and Rehabilitative Services!