Irma Woodard DeLauri

Born 02/11/1933 –   Passed 03/21/2021

88 Years Old

     Irma Woodard DeLauri was born in Norfolk, VA and died peacefully at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center on Sunday March 21, 2021 due to pneumonia and renal failure.  Her family called her “Puddin”! She told her sons Rocky and Jimmy she was ready to go be with Jesus and was not afraid to die! She looked forward to reuniting with her oldest son Pat who passed in 2012 and her parents James Alexander and Helen Phillips Woodard and her sister, Margaret Jean Dokos. She was a lifelong member of the Cradock Baptist Church well over 80 years. She taught Sunday School, the Robins Class, and assisted in the development of the Cradock Baptist Christian Academy.

Surviving are her two sons, Rocco (Rocky) J. DeLauri Sr. and his wife Linda and their three children, Christina (husband Ronnie Keffer) and their 2 daughters Raelynn and Bristol. Rocco J. DeLauri Jr., and Jenna (husband Leonard Aube). Son James (Jimmy) P. DeLauri Sr. (ex-wife Rhonda Patterson) and his son James P. DeLauri Jr. whom we call JJ. Her son Patrick DeLauri Jr. predeceased her. Surviving is his ex-wife Kathie DeLauri and their two children David C. DeLauri and Amber D. Rhodes (husband Christopher-John Rhodes) and their two sons Jaxon and Tucker. She is also survived by so many loving family members.

She was a life long educator with the Virginia Public School System in Portsmouth, Va. for over 37 years where she served as teacher, principal (her beloved DAC Center and Mt. Hermon elementary), and coordinator of all special education in Portsmouth. She also taught for the College of William and Mary, University of Virginia, Old Dominion University and Tidewater Community College. She was the Camp Director at Camp Civitan Acres for the Disabled for several years, a summer camp for the handicapped. She spent her life working with the physically and mentally handicapped which was her passion inspired by her cousin Lynn. She helped bring the Special Olympics to Tidewater and loved watching “her kids” as she called them, compete. She loved her Cradock High School Alumni Group and kept active with her class of 1950 till the end. She also was a member of a 3-person committee that went to Central State Hospital in Petersburg, VA several times a year and determined if the insane patients were well enough to be released back into society.

May she be remembered as one who cared about her fellow-man and always gave everything she had to all who knew her whether family, friend, or stranger and she loved Jesus.  A memorial service will be held at the Rock Church at 640 Kempsville Rd. Va. Beach, VA 23464 on Saturday April 17, 2021 at 2 pm. The Reverend David Phillips of Cradock Baptist will officiate. No reception due to Covid restrictions but there is plenty of room to social distance for the service.

The family would like to thank the women with Westminster Canterbury At Home Health. They are the best! In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Special Olympics Virginia on their website or at this link: https://support.specialolympics.org/a/virginia?ms=IDMP_REDIRECT&utm_source=bsd&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=IDMP3