Brandon R. Woods

On April 30, 2023, Brandon R. Woods, age 23, passed away unexpectedly in Manhattan, Illinois. He was born in Palos Heights, Illinois on August 3, 1999. He spent his early years in New Lenox, Illinois surrounded by a large family before moving to Breckenridge, Colorado and settling for the last few years of his life in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

At a young age, Brandon met and married his beautiful wife of nearly 5 years, Daniela Castro. Together, they had one daughter, Marissa Woods. She was the light of their world and filled his life with joy, laughter, and more love than most young men of his age experience.

Brandon graduated from Snowy Peaks High School in Frisco Colorado in 2018 and began searching for his place in this world. He settled at Outback Steakhouse in Denver, Co. While he enjoyed his work and coworkers, his passions were found outside of the confines of four walls. Brandon had an adventurous personality and could be found hiking mountains along the continental divide in the summer or snowboarding down the Colorado mountains always with his wife by his side. He was constantly on the move, always pulling friends and family into his “nature walks” or any other outdoor activity he could come up with on any given day. On his days and nights at home, he enjoyed family movie night, cuddled on the couch with his daughter and wife, eating popcorn or cheering on the Denver Nuggets. He enjoyed his culinary arts and was the primary chef in his home always adding his own flare to any of his specialty dishes.

Brandon was a charismatic, outgoing young man with an awareness of other peoples needs and feelings. He was filled with empathy and compassion not only for his family and friends, but also for strangers. He understood their pain and sorrow because he suffered from it as well. His big smile, loud laugh and adventurous spirit could not cover the pain of his own depression, anxiety, and mental health issues. He fought a battle against his own mind valiantly, but in the end, the pain ended his life too soon as he went home to meet his heavenly Father.

Brandon is predeceased by his best friend and brother in spirit Daniel Chavez. He is survived by his wife Daniela Castro, their daughter Marissa Woods, and his mother Rachel Leininger of Highlands Ranch, Colorado. He leaves behind his Grandparents Pastor Keith and Deborah Leininger of Manhattan, Illinois, many aunts and uncles: Dawn and Bill White, Bethany and Eric Wendt, Nathan Leininger, Joshua and April Leininger and Kirsten Leininger. He will be missed by many cousins that didn’t see him as their cousin, but their big brother: Kailey, Kiersten, and Riley White, Sebastian, Layla, and Addilynn Wendt, Tyler, and Oliver Leininger. He leaves his ever present and devoted companion, Shadow, his German Shepherd, behind.

A memorial service is planned for 4:00pm on Sunday, May 7, 2023, at Christ’s Mission Church, 22811 S. Cedar Rd, Manhattan, Il, 60442.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to an educational fund for his daughter, Marissa. Donations can be made to Brandon’s mothers Venmo username: @Rachel-Leininger-1 or by sending cash/check to Christ’s Mission Church, 22811 S. Cedar Rd, Manhattan, Il, 60442, designate Brandon in the memo line.