Tony Woodward, former RAF dental surgeon and general practitioner for 34 years, died at home on 24 January 2005. He was 85.

Born in Oswestry, Tony attended Oswestry School and Ellesmere College before moving to London to train at Guy's Hospital. Graduating in 1942, he served with the RAF for five years. He then returned home to Oswestry to join the family practice at Oswyn House. He was firmly committed to providing NHS dental care in the Oswestry area — and in the Ellesmere area, where he also held a surgery once weekly.

Tony worked tirelessly for the benefit of local medical establishments...

Throughout his life Tony worked tirelessly for the benefit of local medical establishments. In the 1960s he became a founder member of the League of Friends of Oswestry and District Hospital, the League of Friends of the Orthopaedic Hospital and the League of Friends of the Derwen College. He served as Dental Surgeon to Derwen College from 1948-1982 and governor from 1984-2000. He was also a governor of the Oswestry Girls' High School and even found time to belong to Oswestry Rotary Club and the St Oswald Lodge of Freemasons — with whom he remained a member for 67 years.

Tony was devoted to his home town and was one of Oswestry's most distinguished and well known dentists. He will be sadly missed by wife Jane, sons Mark and Jonathon, daughters Zoe and Jill and all his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.