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| Jerry Earl Wood |
Officiating at the service will be Pastor Robert Wood.
Visitation will be held at Hill and Son Funeral Home Appleton City, Missouri Wednesday, January 11, 2017 12:30 - 2:00 P.M.
Inurment will be a private family time at the Appleton City Cemetery Appleton City, Missouri.
The family suggests any MEMORIAL donations be given to the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children. Donations may be left at the funeral home.
Jerry Earl Wood, the son of Earl and Esther Fay (Long) Wood passed away peacefully at his home in Appleton City on January 8, 2017. He spent his formative years in the Appleton City area, where he graduated from high school. Shortly after completing his education Jerry began a career with the railroad in the spring of 1965, where he was employed for 25 years. During this time he spent many long hours working intensely.
After his retirement from the railroad, Jerry embarked upon second career with the Ford Motor Company in Joplin, Nevada, and finally Appleton City until his final and well earned retirement in 1996. Although his job was physically taxing and required him to spend many, many hours and holidays away from his family, he remained incredibly devoted to his family during any moment of leisure. Along with this, Jerry found being among nature frequently brought him into communion with God, as his temple was in the outdoors. There he enjoyed hunting, especially deer. His first deer ever taken came accidently on a Quail hunt during a momentary lapse in judgment coupled with a shotgun misfire. Nevertheless, Jerry loved fishing as well. Many fishing adventures and misadventures taught him patience. Most famously, his family fondly recounts the time his Labrador swamped his small Johnboat, which ended up at the bottom of a pit, requiring Jerry to swim ashore.
Apart from such incidents, he dutifully prepared his children for independence, inculcating the skills of life and his quick wit. All will remember his clever remarks and abounding sense of humor that could light up a room.
Ultimately, however, he defined to the world what it meant to be a great man, grandfather, father, and husband. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and everyone that knew him. He was preceded in death by parents; one son Steven Gary Wood; father and mother–in-law Jack and Lorraine Sawyer; step-mother Ernestine Wood God-parents, Ruth and Guy Pierce. Jerry is survived by his wife Judy, Son Robert (Tammy) Wood, Susan (Prevance) Banks; grandchildren: Kelly Wood, Chanler Caulk, Ashtyn Caulk, Jessica Wood, and Jackson Brown; one great-granddaughter Sophie Mae; one sister, Sue (Bud) Suse; step-mother Leta Wood; two sister-in-laws: Jacki Hageman and Betty Sawyer; and many nieces and nephews.
