(above left to right) Lelan as a young man in his marching band uniform;
high school Senior portrait; touring the Old Medical School prior to renovation with Drs. Robert S. Howell and Sam A. Overstreet; a loyal board
member for The Healing Place, with Drs. Gordon Tobin, John Hubbard
and Will Ward.
that would become most useful in his Louisville calling.
In 1980, the impending retirement of the Executive Director,
Harry Lehman, led the Society to recruit Lelan and his young
family to Louisville, where Lelan became JCMS Executive Director
and Harry would serve Lelan and the Society as transition coach.
by their fruits, ye shall know them
Lelan and Marlena’s Louisville years have been hallmarked by abiding commitments to faith, family, and service to others. As members
of Southeast Christian Church, they served in many capacities,
including Lelan’s position of Deacon. Having set aside his trumpet, his musical interest continued as a highly valued member of
the 100-voice Southeastern Master Men’s Choir, which took him
on a memorable visit to Cuba a few years ago. Faith guides every
aspect of the Woodmansees’ lives, and faith infuses them with the
compassion that consistently flows from them.
a joyful family life
The Woodmansee family has thrived in Louisville. With a doctorate in Clinical Psychology, Marlena developed a productive and
rewarding practice. Craig has enjoyed success in the local music
supply and music performance business, and his children; Arwen
(11), Harper (9) and Violet (7) have brought unending delight to
the family. David recently married, and he has found success in the
computer business. Known as “magic man,” Lelan demonstrates his
highly skilled performances on special occasions. Many think the
things he has done for GLMS display even greater magic. However,
skilled magicians, like Lelan, know that the appearance of magic
truly comes from relentless refinement of the process, meticulous
attention to detail, and knowing well the audience, which explains
his GLMS legacy. Another great love of the Woodmansees is travel, a pursuit that they plan to thoroughly indulge in following his
August retirement.
a legacy of growth and noble
advocacies
When Lelan arrived in 1980, there were fewer than 10 employees
at JCMS, which has now has grown to over 30. Then, our membership was u