The First Lady of Woodville

Amy Bythewood has a servant’s heart. I guess you could say it runs in the family. Her late husband Ben was of the same inclination. Amy is the second member of her family to serve the City of Woodville as its mayor, taking office in December 2022.  Ben led the city as mayor for six years, from 2008-2014. Amy said, “Ben did such a wonderful job for his city and community because he loved it, and because it was who he was. Everything he did was with style and grace; he helped change Woodville for the better.” Amy and Ben were always a civic-minded duo. They both shared a love for this charming town and wanted to see it grow and prosper.

Amy served one term as a council member for the city after Ben died, from 2016-2018. She then decided to run for the office of criminal district attorney of Tyler County in 2018. Amy came up short in that election, but ever graciously accepted defeat, and continued practicing law in her office on the courthouse square. The bug hit her once more in the fall of 2022. While cleaning out a shed at home, she found several of Ben’s signs when he first ran for mayor. She took that as a sign from Ben that it was her turn. Amy threw her hat in the ring for mayor and won, defeating the incumbent mayor and two opponents. Finally, it was time to give back to the city she had grown to love.

The fall of 2014 would prove to be the beginning of the end of a beautiful partnership for the Bythewoods. Amy and Ben celebrated their anniversary, their adored grandson “Mr. Blue Eyes” was born, and they were anticipating Ben’s re-election for a fourth term as mayor. As it sometimes happens, the voters decided to elect someone else. Amy recalls the phone call she got from Ben that night, “When he called and told me that he had lost the election, my first thought was, this man’s going to die, I don’t have him for very long. I don’t know why that was my first thought, but it was pretty accurate. We had our grandchild, spent some major quality time together, and eight months later, he was gone.” Amy and Ben left port at Galveston on their first cruise May 31, 2015. Prior to leaving, Ben had been experiencing some health issues, but was adamant on going on the trip. Once they boarded the ship, he began feeling worse, and by that evening, his condition quickly deteriorated, and he passed away the next morning, at the young age of 48. Ben’s obituary stated that he “sailed into eternity.”

Amy had no time to rest, let alone grieve Ben’s passing. She had a law office to attend to. She has run her law office out of the same building on the courthouse square for 18 years. The story of how she got to where she is today is remarkable, considering she was a young wife and mother when she decided she was going to continue her education with the ultimate goal of becoming a lawyer.

Amy explained, “It’s hard to go to school and raise kids at the same time. Ben and I moved to Woodville, and when my daughter started kindergarten, I would drive back and forth to Houston every day. My schedule was their schedule. I was there when they got off the bus, for girl scouts, for soccer, and I was able to still be their mom. When I was a little girl, people would ask me what I wanted to do, I told them I wanted to be a lawyer. I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer. I don’t know I always knew what that was, but I always wanted to be one.” She graduated with a degree in political science from the University of Houston. “I minored in Russian Studies and majored in I’m gonna go to law school.” However, in the grand scheme of things, Amy did go to law school, graduating from South Texas College of Law with a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 2005. Upon passing the bar exam in 2006, Amy opened her office in Woodville, and has been there for 18 years. Ben had a successful career with several dealerships by this time, and in 2004, he started his own business, Bythewood Network Consulting. Amy said of Ben, “He was always the salesman.”

Amy shared that before she got her bar exam results, she had interviewed for a job as a CPS Investigator, and got offered the job, but never went to work for them. She had to call them (after she passed the bar exam), and politely decline the job offer. Then it was suggested that she apply for a job as a CPS attorney, and she was put on an appointment list. “I had been an attorney for about two seconds,” she said. She eventually became an advocate for abused and neglected children through her practice. Amy has helped several children find their voice when they have none. “I get to tell the judge what they want, even if it’s not a good thing. They deserve to have that voice, even if you’re not on the right side, sometimes you just need somebody on your side,” she said. Amy was officially board-certified in child welfare law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in December 2020, joining an elite group of only 97 attorneys in the state who were board-certified in this area.

Amy added, “I don’t know where the child welfare angle came in. I am an only child. I didn’t have a whole lot of interaction with other children. Day care doesn’t count. School doesn’t count. I don’t know what drew me into that, maybe giving a voice to somebody who doesn’t have one. Because when you’re representing children, they need to know that somebody’s on their side, no matter what, and your job is to tell them the truth. They don’t get a lot of that either.” Amy estimated that she has been involved in hundreds of adoptions over the years, averaging about two a month.

When Amy has adoption days, she always makes sure she wears the most sparkly and fabulous shoes. It’s kind of a tradition for her. Adoption days take her all over East and Southeast Texas, helping children become part of a loving family. Amy’s shoe collection actually began with one last Christmas present from Ben in 2014, a pair of black patent leather pumps with red soles, which she has on display in her office. “Ben started my shoe obsession,” she said. She went on to explain, “When Ben died, the joy went away, there was no sparkle, no glitter. Shoes were pretty, and shoes made me feel better.” She explained that she was alone in the house for the first time in ages. Ben had died, and her children had moved out. She had nothing else to spend money on, so she bought shoes.

When Ben was alive, he dressed very well, and Amy made sure the kids had nice things. Now it was her turn. Thus, the infamous shoe obsession began in the summer of 2015. She joined a lady lawyer group called “Hell on Heels;” several thousand lady lawyers across the state are members. It’s all about women supporting women. At one point, she had an impressive and extensive shoe collection. She has donated shoes and even had a shoe sale. She estimated that as of today, she owns about 150 pair.

She debuted her newest pair of boots at the Texas Independence Day Celebration held March 2 at Heritage Village. She painted the boots to look like the Texas flag. March 2 was Ben’s birthday and he loved everything about the day. Daughter Bryanna commented, “He had a heart as big as Texas.” Amy said in a Facebook post that evening, “We celebrated Ben’s heavenly birthday at Heritage Village honoring the brave Texans who fought for our independence in 1836. We got to hear Mr. Blue Eyes sing with his classmates at St. Paul’s and toast to Texas Independence. Afterwards we had Pickett House chicken and watched movies with our Texas blanket. Ben would have loved this celebration”.

The following words from Amy seem the perfect way to bring this story to its conclusion. “The older I get, the more forgiving, caring, and believing in others’ grace I become. I don’t think you need to get harsher, the closer to death you get. I’d like to think that I’ve learned something about this world, and how to deal with people, and I don’t think we are here to make things worse for each other, I think we are here to make things better. Because of Ben, I am who I am. He loved me and wanted me to be happy, no matter what. I was lucky to have such a man. He loved me enough to take care of me after his death as he did before. He brought new love into my life and a healthier perspective. I thank him for making sure I appreciate those who love me, even the most unexpected ones. He always wished me to be loved. I know he placed people in my life to help me and to love me. He was a gentle giant with a quiet sweet spirit, and I am better for knowing him. This is the only life you have. Live it and be kind.”