Inspire

Being able to say “I got to meet Woodie Flowers” will always be a personal, and a team highlight from the 2019 Inaugural Monterey Bay Regional. I will never forget the look on the kids’ faces as they rolled the robot into the pits and saw who was sitting on a stool in the center of our 9x10 space... it was Woodie!   What an amazing human being.  In my brief talk with him about mentoring, those personal words we exchanged will resonate with me throughout my life, the sound of his voice indelible. Thank You Woodie! You are loved by so many. 

Plus Ultra Robotics, FRC Team 7413

I saw Woody Flowers in the pits at World Championships several times.  The first time I spotted him, I started to say hello when he was suddenly surrounded with adoring kids.  I saw how excited they were and how genuinely interested, funny and patient he was, and I just couldn't quit smiling. It was better than having met him myself.  From then on, when I saw him in the pits I just stood by, waited for the kids to flock to him, and enjoyed the joy. This mom from FRC GreengineerZ 3452 sends heartfelt condolences to all who were lucky enough to know and love him.  RIP to a man whose life was very well lived.

Thank you for instilling the values of gracious professionalism that is persistent throughout FIRST and sets this program apart. Your leadership and inspiration will be missed but never forgotten, as you have left an everlasting legacy. My sincere condolences to your wife and family. #WoodieFlowers

I saw Woody Flowers in the pits at World Championships several times.  The first time I spotted him, I started to say hello when he was suddenly surrounded with adoring kids.  I saw how excited they were and how genuinely interested, funny and patient he was, and I just couldn't quit smiling. It was better than having met him myself.  From then on, when I saw him in the pits I just stood by, waited for the kids to flock to him, and enjoyed the joy. This mom from FRC GreengineerZ 3452 sends heartfelt condolences to all who were lucky enough to know and love him.  RIP to a man whose life was very well lived.

I will always be grateful to Woodie for the way he inspired both my children and all the kids on their teams. He enriched so many lives, and the young people he inspired will go on to make the world better. Thank you, Woodie.

..have gotten to meet Woodie, ...have gotten to hear him speak,...have seen how students looked up to him like a rock star, ...see how my son is the person he is today because of Woodie and FIRST

 

 

 

 

 

You will be missed dearest Woodie ... you brought a smile to our faces, cheer to our hearts ... Rest In Peace dear friend of FIRST!

Rest and watch over us, Woodie. We will all miss you.

Ian Paul 910 The Foley Freeze, First Participant since 2017
 

I had the chance to  have  Lunch with Woodie Flowers at Volunteer lounge in Houston, I got pic with him, thanks Woodie for telling us  about Gracious Professionalism, Woodie say Hi to Jack Kamen,Mark Leon and Jim Beck for us 

I had the chance to  have  Lunch with Woodie Flowers at Volunteer lounge in Houston, I got pic with him, thanks Woodie for telling us  about Gracious Professionalism, Woodie say Hi to Jack Kamen,Mark Leon and Jim Beck for us 

A vision that guded so many. A legacy that will continue to lead generations of students to leave the world a better place. Thank you Dr. Woody Flowers, you are the "Good Stuff" this world needs more of. Team 7491

I am glad I had the opportunity to tell Woodie in person how his words inspired me, my children and the students I coach and mentor.  Who would have thought simple phrases like gracious professionalism and coopertition would have such a major impact both within and outside of FIRST.  Concepts that we use in our daily lives and strive to have others do the same. Myself and my kids were very honored to have first met Woodie back at the 2014 FIRST World Championships and the other World Championships that followed.  New FRC students were excited to meet the Woody, who we had referred to as the legendary robotics rock star at WPI Battlecry in June of this year.  We are all sad in the realization that that will be our last meeting with Woodie but we are grateful for the years that we have gotten to speak to him and take photos with him.  Our condolences go out to his wife and his family and friends, the FIRST family of parents, coaches, mentors, and students will greatly miss that wonderful ponytail, converse wearing genius! 

I joined FRC last year, and was impressed by the amount of good sportsmanship put forward by Woodie and FRC as a whole. He helped make the competitions friendly and welcoming to newcomers. Rest In Peace Woodie.

You have definitely and most significantly changed the way our children and our young people relate to science and technology. You will be sorely missed, but your legacy will remain. Thank you very much.

Sad day for the FIRST community.......Dr. Flowers, from 4939 you will be greatly missed and you were an inspiration to a generation of students who, with your kind words had the ability to ask much more of themselves and ask how can they be a change in this world.....thanks sir

Thanks for the opportunities, the guidance, and the principles Woodie. Your message and what you stood for meant a lot to myself as a kid and many more. Rest In Peace and much love to yourself and your family

 

I was just thinking of all of the shirts full of signatures of the people Woodie inspired, young and old, that must be in a closet somewhere. I'm proud that my signature is among them and that I and my students had the honor to meet with him a few times. A life well lived and an immeasurable impact that will go on for many years to come.

Dr Woodie Flowers is such an inspirational and influential figure in my life. He taught me the essences of any competitions- gracious professionalism. It applies to every facet of my life- even in college I still think of this principle.

Dr. Woodie Flowers was a great person, every moment that work had fruit. After his death he left a hole in our hearts but also a generation with love for robotics. The team Advanced Robotics Team 4371 (ART 4371) We regret your loss, thank you for inspiring many young people and people with the principles of STEAM, we appreciate all that Dr. Woodie Flowers left.

With a heavy heart, on behalf of myself and my team Flash #3388 we send our sincere condolences to Woodies wife and family.
Woodie was a great man, he was a super hero and genius combined with just the right amount of (Monty Python) craziness.
We all surely will miss him, such a great loss!

You have changed the lives of so many boys and girls and helped them better understand what FIRST is all about. FIRST will Ben completely different without you. You will be missed by all! 

#WoodieFlowers

Our community and the youth of the world has lost a great supporter and advocate. He will be missed by the entire FIRST community. Team 4056 would like to send their sympathy to Woodie's family at their loss. Rest Easy Woodie, the future of FIRST is in the brilliant hands of the FIRST kids.

Dear Woodie Flowers,

Thank you for contributing to the mission of FIRST and rallying behind the millions of students and mentors. We will all remember you for what you gave us -- opportunity, excellence, inspiration, and yes, gracious professionalism. I am honored to have a role model like you. 

Sincerely,

Christopher Yu

 

thank you. thank you for inspiring so many people around the world. i was eleven years old when i first heard the term gracious professionalism, and it became the most important phrase i live by. even though i never got to meet you, i'll always be grateful for everything you've done; not only for the community, but for me as well. you've shown us that we can do anything. so thank you for everything woodie flowers. i'll never forget your name.

Very sad; Dr. Woody Flowers set the tone and laid out the meaning of 'gracious professionalism' that is one of the most attractive attributes of FIRST. He will be missed. 

FIRST and the idea of gracious professionalism changed my life. All I can say is thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

How excited I was when Dr Woodie Flowers signed in book at FGC 2018. I felt like I had made it life but really, it was a chance to meet someone who has MADE IT in life...not because of what he has achieved, but because of the number of lives he has changed. It was a great honour for me and I will continue to be inspired by him. He explained FIRST as a competition not for the sake of destroying one another but for the sake of improving and bettering both competitors regardless of the outcome. I got a chance to be improved and a handshake of honour from him is what I can hold on to. We will be forever inspired. #WoodieFlowers

How excited I was when Dr Woodie Flowers signed in book at FGC 2018. I felt like I had made it life but really, it was a chance to meet someone who has MADE IT in life...not because of what he has achieved, but because of the number of lives he has changed. It was a great honour for me and I will continue to be inspired by him. He explained FIRST as a competition not for the sake of destroying one another but for the sake of improving and bettering both competitors regardless of the outcome. I got a chance to be improved and a handshake of honour from him is what I can hold on to. We will be forever inspired. #WoodieFlowers

Woodie was such an amazing down home Louisiana boy. He strived to give pur kids a better future than what we had growing up. He had a great sense of humor and a brilliant mind. We will miss you. #Loveyou300Woodie

I was struck by disbelief when I heard today the news of your passing. I never got the chance to meet you personally but I have watched and listened to you for so many years that it seemed like I already knew you. From the days hosting Scientific American Frontiers and all the way to FIRST appearances, I watched and listened eagerly to a man that was inspiring, gracious, and passionate about what the future holds for countless numbers of students and adults alike. You should be proud of your many accomplishments in this life, and the lives of millions of people that you have touched with your knowledge, words of graciousness, and your professionalism. You have worked hard all your days and now it’s time to rest knowing that others will continue to carry the torch of enlightenment that you created. Rest well Dr. Flowers.

I was struck by disbelief when I heard today the news of your passing. I never got the chance to meet you personally but I have watched and listened to you for so many years that it seemed like I already knew you. From the days hosting Scientific American Frontiers and all the way to FIRST appearances, I watched and listened eagerly to a man that was inspiring, gracious, and passionate about what the future holds for countless numbers of students and adults alike. You should be proud of your many accomplishments in this life, and the lives of millions of people that you have touched with your knowledge, words of graciousness, and your professionalism. You have worked hard all your days and now it’s time to rest knowing that others will continue to carry the torch of enlightenment that you created. Rest well Dr. Flowers.

You have left a permanent dent on the universe and changed our lives. Every one of us in FIRST owes it all to you. Thank you for all your hard work, life lessons, gracious professionalism, dedication and mission to change the culture. 

I for one will forever be inspired by you, Dr. Woodie Flowers. 

Here's a thread from the FIRST community on Chief Delphi: https://www.chiefdelphi.com/t/woodie-flowers-passed-away/364105

To the woodie's family and FIRST Community,on my owen behalf and on the behalf of FIRST Global Team Burundi, please accept our deepest condoleances from the Heartland of Africa:Burundi. I personaly recall this brave man cheering with First Global teams during First Global events. More than that, his core value of Gracious professionalism is our main principle that hold our program moving forwars at our robotic hub and we also gained benefits from it as we receive a bunch of wholehearted volunteers and friends who join to spread the word of First global in the community. We will carry on your lagacy as much as we can...

To the woodie's family and FIRST Community,on my owen behalf and on the behalf of FIRST Global Team Burundi, please accept our deepest condolences from the Heartland of Africa:Burundi. I personaly recall this brave man cheering with First Global teams during First Global events. More than that, his core value of Gracious professionalism is our main principle that hold our program moving forwars at our robotic hub and we also gained benefits from it as we receive a bunch of wholehearted volunteers and friends who join to spread the word of First global in the community. We will carry on your lagacy as much as we can...

He touched innumerable lives, and in that way, he lives on. Thank you for all that you did, Woodie. 

Woodie dedicated his life to not just teaching and inspiring students to pursue careers in math and science, he also focused on inspiring us all to be better people.  His messages were always inspirational to everyone, both kids and adults.  I have so many wonderful memories of my time with Woodie and Margaret.  One was I believe in 1997, the third year that we held the championships at EPCOT, and moved into the tent village.  For the first time the number of teams had increased to a point that we had to have two simultaneous fields for the competitions, and there was only one Woodie.  I was honored to be asked to be the first person besides Woodie to emcee a FIRST competition so that we could each emcee a field.  I actually had our costuming department create a wig with a pony-tail, glasses and a nose that I wore when i first went out, but the one thing I could never copy was the real Woodie, with his amazing compassion, insight and way of inspiring the world.  

We will miss you but never forget you,

Greg and Melly

"I do not know how to thank you.  Let me try with my deeds."  There will be thousands who feel the same way.

 

thank you for inspiring so many to become a better version of themselves...

Farewell Dr. Flowers. Your vision and values have literally made the world a much better place. With millions of people to carry your mission forward, your positive impact will be felt for many generations to come. 

Sincere condolences to his family and friends. His contributions to STEM and the character of untold thousands of people are almost too big to comprehend.

The number & depth of feeling in these comments shows the amazing legacy that Woodie created.  We are heartbroken at losing you from this earth and we are committed to carrying your legacy forward.  MIT & the world desperately need the lessons you taught re Gracious Professionalism & what it means to live a meaningful human life.  I, for one, am more committed than ever to using my one precious life to continue down the path you showed us, Woddie, and to embody love & joy while doing it, as you so beautifully did.

Back in 1994, during competition season, I was blessed with the opportunity to share some hot dogs with Dr. Flowers. We talked about FIRST (Then US FIRST) what our team had planned to tackle the game that year, what shop I was taking in High School, and what my interests were. I am now the Director of Engineering for a touch screen design and integration company, as well as a mentor for the team I was a part of in my High School years. I am pretty confident saying that I would not be where I am today without that single inspiring conversation. Woodie shared a small lesson with me, it was okay to want to win, to be better than someone else, as long as your motivation was to better the whole competition, show other teams different ways to succeed, challenge them to think outside the box, and above all, ensure a spirit of fair play and mutual respect. Dr. Woodie Flowers, you are leaving this world better than you found it. I hope the same can be said about me when my time comes. Thank you for everything you shared and taught to generations of eager minds. Rest in peace.

Like all flowers, this one has transformed into seeds.  Many many many seeds. We are a global force for good, with roots deep and wide bringing the glorious Woodie Flowers to forests & meadows & board rooms & classrooms & street corners & everywhere forever on.

Woodie. Woodie Flowers.  A name instantly recognized by FIRST people everywhere. A name that would instantly quiet a crowd when he began to speak. A name that would create an excited fury of activity in the pits when he walked through.

Woodie will always to be a symbol of what is so special about FIRST.  He believed in the power of ideas to change society. He believed that reason, compassion, and wisdom make the world a better place.

Woodie coined the term “Gracious Professionalism” and lived it every day. He made FIRST a place we all wanted to be and made sure FIRST maintained a focus on its mission to inspire youth in a safe and ethically strong place. He was never too busy to stop for a conversation with a student.

Dr. William Murphy created the Woodie Flowers Award to honor Woodie for his powerful communication skills and his effectiveness of inspiring young people in the art and science of engineering and design. For several years, the WFA recipients have had the opportunity to work closely with Woodie, through an annual meeting and regular conversation during the year.  We have discussed issues, innovations and controversies. We have discussed education, ethics and our impact on the wider FIRST community. We have been there to see Woodie be diplomatic and impassioned about important matters. We have seen him challenge the status quo and drive for change.  He has challenged us to push ourselves and our community to address society’s biggest challenges to make the world a better place for all youth.

Like all of you, our hearts are heavy.  We struggled to find words to express our thoughts.  Many of our messages were “the world feels different”, “no words”, “he has changed the world”, “so sad”, “devastated”, “Woodie has such a huge place in our hearts”, and “we will never be able to quantify his impact”.

Woodie’s legacy lives in all the lives he touched and hearts he uplifted – we are all part of his legacy and our personal challenge is to continue to live into his vision.

When one of us was hurting, Woodie would always send “White Light”.  And so now, to you Woodie, we send the Brightest White Light possible.

Humbly,

The Woodie Flowers Award group

what an inspiration to my 2 kids and me. I saw him speak last season at WPI - talk about gracious, the man had no equal. Clearly Woody is one of the reasons I still mentor even though my kids graduated already from high school. In fact my daughter it's going to school near her old high school UHSSE now so she also is able to mentor there and also volunteers at first events. She loves it so. My dad just passed October 4th. He was 90. The world will be a lesser place because Woody is gone, especially before his time. I like to think the two of them, Woody and my dad Jack, are up there mentoring angels now because surely they went out already being angels.

You are my hero and inspiration Woddie. I'm really sad that I never got to meet you but I will always carry your positive message with me, close to my heart, for the rest of my life. I will make you proud!

One day I was setting up an MIT seminar, putting out the cookies and coffee. Woodie arrived early and we started talking about the dilemma of environmental destruction in a capitalist society. Woodie was genuinely interested in what I had to say. I was just a staff person. But he asked questions, offered insight. I listened, he listened. It was a small thing, but it was Woodie. He was always teaching, always learning. I feel he was the best of MIT: brilliance, integrity, wisdom, generosity, kindness.  

my deepest condolences to his family. he was an inspiring person for me. i met him in FIRST championship in Detroit and he was very kind to me