Helen Whittington Holt Woodall

WOODALL, HELEN WHITTINGTON HOLT, died peacefully in the company of her family on Wednesday, Sept. 18th at her home in Winter Park, FL. Born in Atlanta, GA, in 1943, Helen graduated from Winter Park HS and attended college at Stetson where she received a degree in Fine Art. Mother to Nicholas and Jeremy by her first husband, Coleman Holt, she imparted a love of aesthetics, an attention to detail, and a sense that life is entirely too short to ever be unhappy, words she lived by herself. Cub Scout den mother, swim coach, beloved neighborhood mom, she was the consummate mother and housewife. She was incredibly warm, and a believer in the strength of the human spirit and its ability to overcome adversity.

Helen loved animals and all things that grow. An avid rider in her youth, she won a 100-mile endurance ride as the youngest entrant, a determined 12-yr-old, on her favorite Arabian, Ala Dana. She was always surrounded by loving animals, from dogs to cats to parakeets to horses, all of whom held a special place in her heart. She had a green thumb, growing vegetables and herbs in her many gardens and cultivating orchids at her house on Shepherd Ave, and, later, on her roof deck at her Park Ave. loft. Helen went on to found the Briarpatch restaurant on Park Ave. with her first husband Coleman, where they used family recipes and Helen's artistic eye to create what has become a 30 yr. institution on Park Ave. in Winter Park. In the late 80's, she sold the Briarpatch and began running the family business, The Whittington Partnership, which owns and manages several properties on Park Ave.

In 1995, she married her husband, Woody Woodall. They loved travel, visiting Istanbul, Cuba, Ireland, Kenya, and Italy, interspersed with many trips to New York City. They enjoyed entertaining at their home on Shepherd Ave. and then at their Park Ave. loft, where notable events included a wedding reception for Woody's daughter Jennifer, and a cocktail event for "Friends of American Art."

Their home became the center of countless holiday and family events where the food was always exquisite and the parties lasted many hours after the meal. More recently, they became members of Interlachen Country Club, where both established reputations for their skills on the croquet greens.

Helen is survived by her husband, Woody Woodall, her sons Nicholas and Jeremy, and her grandsons, Dorian (affectionately known to her as Pumpkin) and Nate. She is further survived by Woody's children Sandra, Rusty, Jennifer, their children Natalie, RJ, and Charlie and her beloved pets, Wesley, an English bulldog, a rescued cat aptly named Butch, her orchids and tropical fish. A Celebration of her Life will be held in the Hidden Garden and at the family home, 322 N. Park Ave., on Sunday evening from 4-7pm, family and close friends are welcome to visit, remember and reflect. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Helen's name to the SPCA of Central Florida at www.orlandopets.org.

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Orlando Sentinel Wednesday, September 2S, 2013

HELEN WOODALL - Businesswoman was a pioneer on Park Avenue
Bv Amv Pavuk - Staff Writer

Helen Whittington Holt Woodall was a Park Avenue legend.

Generations of people have dined at the Briarpatch - the restaurant she founded on Park Avenue in Winter Park -and even more have walked through the doors of nearby properties she managed.
She was known as a kind and generous woman who fiercely supported the Avenue and other small businesses.

Woodall, her husband, Woody Woodall, and their English bulldog, Wesley, were fixtures on Park Avenue, the street she loved so much that she moved to a loft there.

After battling cancer for more than a year, Helen Woodall died at home Sept. 18. She was 70.
"Helen was a trailblazer on Park Avenue as a female business owner," said Debra Hendrickson, vice president of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce. "She was a creative woman with a strong business mind. She built a foundation with a good business model that still operates today."

Woodall graduated from Winter Park High School and Stetson University, where she studied fine art.
She and her first husband, Coleman Holt, founded the Briarpatch in the early 1980's, even though she had no restaurant experience. Woody Woodall said she incorporated her family's favorite dishes at the restaurant, including a generations-old recipe for chocolate pecan pie.

She sold the Briarpatch about 25 years ago, but her passion for cooking continued as the Woodalls regularly hosted large holiday gatherings. Eventually, Helen Woodall began running her family's property-management business.

"I have never known any landlords to be more involved, visible, kind and generous to tenants and all of their business neighbors," said Brian Wettstein, owner of the Doggie Door gift shop on Park Avenue.
Hendrickson said Woodall was always optimistic about business, even when there were empty store fronts on Park Avenue.

"[The Woodalls] wanted to keep the charm of Park Avenue consistent with the type of business Helen founded in the Briarpatch 30-plus years ago," Hendrickson said.

"They found homegrown-type businesses to come into their properties and gave them the tools to be successful by keeping their rent manageable and their property clean and attractive."

Woody Woodall said the couple wanted to live in downtown Winter Park and originally planned to live in a house. But hurricanes severely damaged that home, so the Woodalls had to change plans.
City officials weren't keen on the idea of the Woodalls turning an office space into a residential loft, but the Woodalls prevailed and renovated the property about five years ago.

Helen Woodall, known for growing vegetables, herbs and flowers, cultivated orchids on their roof deck. They frequented Park Avenue's restaurants and did all their Christmas shopping there. It was exactly where they wanted to be.

"There's no place in the world like Park Avenue."Woody Woodall said." This is the best place in the world. There is nothing that can replace it, and it's absolutely wonderful".

Woodall also is survived by two sons, Nicholas Holt of New York City and Jeremy Holt of Orlando; and two grandsons.

Carey Hand Cox-Parker Funeral Home, Winter Park handled arrangements.