BANGOR – William ‘Bill’ Jackson Wood, died peacefully at the Maine Veterans Home in Bangor, May 25, 2005. He was born Nov. 10, 1910, at Anderson, S.C., the son of William J. and Jeanette Bradley Wood. He attended Anderson High School. After learning the shoemaker’s trade from his father he established his own shop. Bill enlisted in the Army in April 1932 and served as a corporal in the medical and Quartermasters Corps until March 1935. In November 1942, he enlisted in the Navy and during World War II served as a petty officer first class in the aviation metal repair field. In 1945, he concluded his rather unique military career having served in both the Army and Navy. Upon his discharge, Bill returned to the shoemaking trade and had shops in Ogden, Utah, and Bellflower, Calif. His retired years were spent in Yucca Valley, Calif., Providence, R.I., Tampa, Fla. and Hampden. William was a member of Yucca Valley Lodge No. 802, Yucca Valley, Calif. for over fifty years. He was also active in the Shrine and Eastern Star. He was a member of the DAV, VFW and the West Hampden Baptist Church, Hampden. He was predeceased by his first wife, Emily Yeager Wood; his second wife, Carina Bucci Wilman Wood; six sisters and three brothers. He is survived by a daughter, Patricia Richards and her husband, Richard, of Foster, R.I.; and a granddaughter, Samantha Richards of Foster, R.I. He also leaves a stepson-in-law and stepdaughter, with whom he lived with for 13 years, Brainard and Charlotte Tripp of Embden; and a stepgranddaughter, Tamara Howes and her husband, James; two great-stepgrandchildren, Meagan and Andrew Howes, all of Hermon; and special friends, Charles and Sally Gould of Hampden. A Masonic funeral service will be held 1 p.m. Friday at the Hampden-Gilpatrick Funeral Home, 45 Western Ave., Hampden, conducted by the officers and member of Mystic Lodge No. 65 AF & AM of Hampden. Interment will be in Johnston, R.I. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Bill’s memory may be made to the Whitcomb-Baker VFW Post No. 4633, P.O. Box 555, Hampden, ME 04444-0555 designated for the Hampden Veterans Honor Roll Memorial. Arrangements entrusted to the Hampden-Gilpatrick Funeral Home www.hampdengilpatrick.com
WILLIAM ‘BILL’ JACKSON WOOD
