GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE – Don “Woody” Woodward taught Andy Kaschalk what community is.
Today, Kaschalk, the fire chief of Geneva-on-the-Lake Village and others are remembering Woodward, 67, who passed away May 8, 2026.
“He always put community first to help make Geneva-on-the-Lake better,” Kaschalk, who knew Woodward for about 27-plus years before he joined the fire department, said. “He was one of the driving factors to bringing me to the fire department 23 years ago. Woody was a person to look up to. If you asked him a question or opinion, he would give you one that is blunt and to the point whether it was what your’re looking for. He spoke from the heart. He will definitely be missed.”
According to his obituary, Woodward was on GOTL Village Council for 31 years and “valued tourism and the continued success of Geneva-on-the-Lake.”
He worked closely with the Ashtabula County Convention and Visitors Bureau and served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Geneva-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce, the obituary states.
In addition, he belonged to the GOTL Fire Department for 19 years, serving as assistant fire chief for five years and also was on the Ohio Advisory Council of Amusement Ride Safety.
Stephanie Siegel, executive director of the Ashtabula County Visitors Bureau, also remembers Woodward and his contributions.
“The tourism community suffered a loss with Woody’s passing,” she said. “He was instrumental in forming our County Visitors Bureau and the Bureau at Geneva-on-the-Lake.”
She noted how valuable his input was.
“The institutional knowledge that Woody brought to meetings was invaluable; he was part historian and part encyclopedia with a few unfiltered opinions thrown in for free,” she said. “What Woody contributed as a business owner and engaged leader directly impacted the visitor experience and created lifelong memories for guests. He leaves a legacy that will continue to shape Geneva-on-the-Lake as one of Ohio’s Summertime destinations.”
Woodward’s obituary notes that he was a 1977 graduate of Geneva High School and attended Thiel College, earning his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He was “a proud member” of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and was inducted into the Business and History Honor Societies, the obituary states.
“Don spent his career carrying on and continuing to build his family’s legacy businesses through hard work, grit, determination, and dedication,” the obituary reads. “Since graduating in 1981, he enjoyed working closely with his family and business partners in Geneva-on-the-Lake. Don was deeply devoted to his community. Over the years, he never met a stranger, took immense pride in the village and spent countless hours making Geneva-on-the-Lake the town we all know and love.”
The obituary notes that Woodward married Cheryl (Paine) on Sept. 30, 1989, and “together they built a life centered around family, laughter, unwavering support, and working alongside one another in the businesses.”
