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Bob Woodward went home to be with his Lord and Savior on February 14, 2026, at Brookstone View in Broken Bow surrounded by family.

Robert “Bob” Woodward was born on September 23, 1932, in Brewster, Nebraska. He was one of nine children born to Edward and Anna (Motyka) Woodward. Bob attended school at Brewster through the 11th grade. He dropped out of school and continued his education “with a shovel and posthole diggers in hand.” His first jobs were working on the Loughran homestead in Custer County and breaking horses in southern Blaine County. It was at this time that he competed in his first rodeo and his love of rodeo was born.

Bob entered the U.S. Army in 1952, just missing the Korean Conflict. After receiving a medical discharge in 1954, Bob returned home and continued working on ranches near Brewster. During this time, he became involved with the Milburn Community Church and made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Bob developed a strong interest in learning the Bible and he enrolled at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC. During his year there, Bob was put in charge of handling horses for a movie filmed by the college and can be seen in several scenes of the film Red Runs the River.

Bob later enrolled for a year in the Western Bible Institute in Morrison CO. While there he trained colts on a Palomino horse ranch.

Around this time Bob met the love of his life, JoAnn Baillie. They were married in 1966 and shortly thereafter, purchased a ranch west of Broken Bow where they raised cattle for more than 55 years.

Bob continued to rodeo, riding bulls and bucking horses, at area rodeos for many years. He later began to clown and fight bulls. At this time, bull fighters worked alone and he received the first award buckle for Best Rodeo Clown at the Hyannis Old Timer’s Rodeo.

Although Bob and Jo had no children of their own, Bob had a love of kids. In 1975 he joined with two panhandle cowboys to begin a ministry to share the gospel with young people interested in rodeo. They began Rodeo Bible Camp in 1975 with two camps, one in LaGrange, WY, and one at the Woodward ranch.

Bob also worked for a time as ring-man at the local sale barn and was a Deputy Sheriff of Custer County during the tenure of Sheriff Neal Fink.

It was two days before Bob’s passing that it was learned that he would be a 2026 Inductee into the Nebraska Sandhills Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Bob is survived by his wife, JoAnn; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Lowell and Lana Baillie; sister-in-law, Judy Baillie and a host of nieces, nephews and special friends.

Bob is preceded in death by his parents, siblings, in-laws, Avalo and Imogene Baillie; brother-in-law, Ted Baillie; nephews, Rex Baillie and Jeff Baillie and great niece Rachelle Baillie.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at 10:30 AM at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow with burial to follow in the Broken Bow Cemetery with Military Honors. Visitation will be held on Friday, February 20th, from 4 – 6 pm at Govier Brothers Mortuary. Memorials are suggested to AsceraCare Hospice and can be sent in care of Rod Baillie at 1105 S 1st Broken Bow, NE 68822.

The family would like to thank the staff at Brookstone View and AsceraCare Hospice for their excellent care in Bob’s final days.