(Seguin) — Much of what Seguinites remember today can be owed in large part to the historical record keeping and preservation efforts of Virginia King Bergfeld Woods. Woods, whose name for years has been synonymous with Seguin, died Saturday just six weeks shy of turning 108-years-old. Woods, who descends from a founding family in Seguin, is being remembered today for the legacy that she leaves behind.
Among those fortunate to have known her most of their life is Marty Keil. Keil, a former educator and a member of the Seguin Conservation Society, says Woods was a second-grade teacher who taught for 35 years in the Seguin ISD. She says not only did she serve as one of her professional mentors, but she — more importantly — helped inspire her own love for Texas history.
“I met Virginia Woods when I first started my teaching career here in Seguin in 1978 and she was starting her last year of teaching when I was beginning my first year of teaching and she was a mentor to me because she just assured me every day, affirmed me every day, supported me in decisions I had to make and shared with me all of her materials most specifically on Texas and so social studies was a big part of the second grade curriculum and specially in the spring time, you taught all about Texas starting with the fall of the Alamo and celebration of wildflowers and just all things Texas. I was a born and raised Texan, but I came from a big city so moving to Seguin was phenomenal to me because I really got into Texas history. This was kind of the cradle of it all. So, that’s when my story with Virginia started and then of course like I say, she retired and asked me to come and go through all of her materials to pick and choose from to continue my career which I did and then that started a friendship that just lasted,” said Keil.
That love for history is exactly why Keil says this community now has the Seguin Conservation Society.
“She was the founder of the conservation society. That would have been in 1952 and it dealt with the saving of the Los Nogales structure which is there on the corner of South River and East Crockett Street which she knew the significance of that structure but that structure had been incorporated into that block and when the estate that sat on actually the Washington Street side of that block was going to be demolished, she stepped in and said ‘wait, wait, wait, you can’t tear down this building because this was here from the beginning.’ It was built by a German immigrant back in 1849, there’s too much significance to this structure, we can’t demolish it and her husband who was in construction, he was the one who then
kind of saved the building. Virginia got a group of people together that were in favor of saving it, they pulled some money and resources, saved that structure and that was really the beginning of the Seguin Conservation Society,” said Keil.
That friendship and passion continued to grow as Keil also worked to preserve what Woods recognized as important so many decades ago.
“Going forward from there, she knew the significance of lots of structures in Seguin that other people had forgotten about, or no one was paying attention to. Another one was the First Church. When it was going to be raised and was sitting over on Camp St, it was empty, and it was in great disrepair, but she knew that that had been the first church building in Seguin. Again, built in the mid-1800s so she was able to get the city not to level it and if the conservation society would agree for the paying of moving it, we could have it. So, then it got moved to Crockett and Live Oak again part of our Heritage Village, but you know, that would not have happened had it not been for Virginia stepping in and saying ‘wait, wait, wait, this building holds a lot of significance for us here,’” said Keil.
Her family lineage, and its ties to Seguin, is perhaps the most remembered aspect behind her ability to preserve important times in history.
Thanks to her recollection of things in her own life, Keil says Woods was credited with providing the oral history behind the best-selling book “True Women,” written by Woods’ daughter, Janice Woods Windle. True Women tells the story of two-family lines in Texas — the Kings and the Woods. Keil says that book eventually went on to inspire the 1997 CBS Miniseries by the name. The series drew well-known actors into Seguin and to parts of Central Texas for a firsthand look at the history of it all. The list of True Women stars included famous actors, like Angelina Jolie, Dana Delany, and Rachel Leigh Cook.
“Of course, the writing of the series by her daughter Janice Windle put me in connection with both Janice and Virginia for lots of sit downs and discussions and talks about the Tour Women Tours that started in Seguin and then of course, the movie – that big to do over on her property there on Court Street when we had the stars come in and the tents were up and there were big receptions held, that was just a great opportunity to once again share all the good things about this area,” said Keil.
Woods’ recollection of events also was noted during her daughter’s other novel, “Will’s War.” The book was later turned into the theater script and production of Will’s War by Woods’ great-grandson William Wayne Windle. The play is based on Woods’ experiences as a child “recounting the tribulations and trial of Will Bergfeld (her father) in pre-World War I America, as a first-generation son of German immigrants in Central Texas.’”
Not only is she remembered for preserving history, but she is also being remembered for having an actual hand in creating history for the generations to come.
Community member and volunteer Denise Crettenden says it didn’t take her very long to realize the impact and importance of Virginia Woods.
“When I came back to Seguin after living elsewhere, the more I got involved in things typically, the more the name Virginia Woods came up in every facet of town and I was so amazed at all the things that she got started in our community or helped to elevate in our community, it really is an amazing legacy,” said Crettenden.
Crettenden, known locally for her deeply rooted involvement with Girls Scouts, says she was also not surprised to learn that Woods was embedded in that local history as well.
“She was the original manager of the Girl Scout House in 1947 and really helped to get that started and was a trustee for the house for years. We are very unique in that that house is run for the benefit of local Girl Scouts in trust for the youth of this community and she helped to really get that going in the 40s after the land was donated and the money was donated by Mrs. H.H. Weinert. She was also a Girl Scout leader who took her girls from the beginning of Girl Scouts all the way through graduation, and we had a reunion for them during the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts a few years ago and it was so interesting to see where these ladies had gone off to and done things and they had such fond memories of her as their Girl Scout leader,” said Crettenden.
Crettenden says the passing of Woods is a great loss for the community. She says she no doubt helped set up that love of history, community, and family in Seguin.
“Of course, she served on the Seguin ISD School Board. She volunteered for so many things in town. You’ll find her name always. When I’m doing research, her name just pops up in the paper all of the time because she did so many things and then I feel like we have a special connection with her as well when the play ‘Will’s War’ was cast here, my daughter played little Virginia which is Virginia when she was a little girl and so, we got to see her again and speak to her about her memories of her father’s trial and everything. Just an amazing experience and she’s an amazing lady to know over the years and I think Seguin as a community owes a great debt to her,” said Crettenden.
Woods was married to Wilton George Woods. Together they had two children, Janice Woods Windle and Wilton Woods.
A celebration of life for Virginia Woods is being planned for October.