Thomas H. Woods

Thomas Homer Woods (May 25, 1916 - April 25, 2010) was a Falls Church businessman, inventor, and persistent political candidate.

Born in Cumberland, Maryland, Woods was one of three sons of William W. and Etta Clemson Woods. He married the former Helen Townsend Baker in 1939, and the couple would have two daughters, Diane and Susan.

Woods moved to Fairfax County in 1941 from Allegheny County, Virginia. Originally moving to the area to work for the Federal government, Woods found success as a small businessman, establishing a dry cleaning shop and later a travel agency.

After establishing himself as a businessman, Woods sought the Democratic nomination as the Falls Church representative to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 1955, but was defeated in the primary by attorney James Keith.

Undaunted by his defeat, in 1956 Woods sought the nomination as the Democratic candidate for the Virgina's 10th Congressional District. He withdrew from the primary on April 11, announcing his intention to forge a write-in campaign instead.

In 1959, Woods again sought nomination as a candidate for the Board of Supervisors, this time representing the Providence District.

1964 saw Woods again file his candidacy for Congress, but he withdrew as he was unable to obtain enough signatures on his petition to file it.

Woods had better luck in filing his 1966 candidacy for Congress, successfully obtaining enough signatures to enable him to challenge Delegate Clive DuVal in that year's primary, but faced a lack of support amongst Democrats that considered DuVal a more viable candidate.

Following the resignation of William S. Hoofnagle from the position as Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on September 23, 1972, Woods ran as an independent candidate in a crowded field for the seat that was ultimately won by Democrat Jean R. Packard in the special election held on November 7.

Woods also ran as an independent in the 1975 election for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, seeking to represent the Mason District, but lost to Democratic incumbent Alan H. Magazine.

The 79-year-old Woods' last campaign came in 1995, when he again waged an independent candidacy in another special election for Chairman of the Board of Supervisors against Katherine K. Hanley and Elaine N. McConnell.

Woods died at the Inova Fairfax Hospital from congestive heart failure at the age of 94 on April 25, 2010.