Linda H. Woodley, of Richmond, Virginia, died peacefully on December 1, 2025, at the age of 72 after a brief illness. A lifelong champion of educational equity, she leaves behind a legacy that continues to shape opportunities for Virginia students from every corner of the Commonwealth.
Born and raised in Petersburg, Linda earned her bachelor’s degree from Virginia State University and a master’s in counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University. For more than four decades she served as a guidance counselor and college advisor at Petersburg High School and later at Meadowbrook High in Chesterfield County, personally guiding thousands of first-generation students through the college application process.
As a founding member of the Virginia College Access Network in 2005, Linda helped build a statewide coalition that secured millions in state funding for college-prep programs and need-based aid. She traveled tirelessly to rural school districts, training counselors and establishing partnerships that dramatically increased enrollment rates among low-income and minority students.
Linda served on the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia for twelve years and chaired the Virginia Counselors Association’s postsecondary committee. Her quiet persistence behind the scenes influenced legislation that expanded dual-enrollment opportunities and created the Virginia Guarantee free community-college initiative.
In retirement she remained active with the Richmond Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, mentoring young women and organizing annual college fairs in underserved neighborhoods. She was a familiar presence at scholarship ceremonies, always seated in the back row, smiling as another student she once counseled walked across the stage.
The Linda H. Woodley Service Scholarship, established in her memory by the Virginia College Access Network, will annually support rising seniors who demonstrate outstanding commitment to community service. A celebration of her life is planned for January 2026 at Virginia Union University, where friends, former students, and colleagues will gather to honor the woman who spent her life opening doors for others.
