CYRIL L. WOOD

Cyril L. "Woody" Wood, 74, a resident of Alaska since Feb. 4, 1954, passed away suddenly Dec. 28, 2003, at Valley Hospital in Palmer.

A memorial service was held Jan. 4 at Pioneer Peak Baptist Church in the Butte. Pastor Dan Jefferys presided.

Mr. Wood is survived by daughter Cynthia of Washington state; sons John S. Wood and family of Houston, Lawrence D. Wood and family of Palmer, Michael Wood and family of Palmer; sister Carol Dreghorn and family of Everett, Wash.; and second wife Linda of Palmer. Margaret Wood, Mr. Wood's wife of 45 years, preceded him in death in June 1996. His nine grandchildren and three great-grand children all live in Alaska.

Mr. Wood had a rich and varied life. Born in Farmington, N.M., on Feb. 8, 1929, he entered the U.S. Marine Corps at 16 and participated in the battle for Okinawa in World War II. He was stationed in China after the war and also served in the Korean War. He was a prisoner of the Red Chinese for nine months during his tour of duty in China. He left the Marine Corps as a staff sergeant in 1954. He also served in the Arizona Army National Guard between stints in the Marine Corps.

As a young man in Arizona after World War II, Mr. Wood worked as diamond driller on his uncle's gold claims and as a concrete worker on Davis Dam in Kingman, Ariz.

In 1951, he married Margaret Ann Washington, his wife until her passing in 1996. In 1947, he received his private pilot's license in Kingman, Ariz. Flying was a passion he pursued throughout his life, accruing more than 15,000 hours. He had more than 800 hours in Beech Staggerwings, and more than 2,000 hours in DeHaviland Beavers, his two favorite aircraft.

On Feb. 4, 1954, Mr. Wood brought his wife Margaret and his infant son Lawrence to Alaska, where he worked on the Eklutna Power Plant Project. In 1955, he became the first fiscal officer for the Alaska Army National Guard with the rank of lieutenant. Later that year, he became a territorial police officer (badge No. 66), and upon statehood, an Alaska state police officer (badge No. 49). Upon statehood, his territorial police badge number also became his permanent Alaska driver's license number, something which evoked comments whenever he cashed a check or had reason to present his license. As a territorial and state police officer, Mr. Wood was stationed in Fairbanks, Big Delta, Anchorage and Homer.

After leaving the Alaska State Police in 1961, he moved his family back to Palmer where Cyril B. and Lillian E. Wood, his parents, had property. He built his parents two houses, a house for his family, and a small trailer court on the property.

From 1961 to the mine's closing in 1965 he worked as a heavy equipment operator at Evan Jones Coal Mine in Sutton. From 1966 on, Mr. Wood had a small excavation company, and worked on the North Slope as a heavy equipment operator and truck driver. The small construction company eventually became a small mining company in 1976.

From 1976 on, the family business was mining, mining equipment development, and soil remediation equipment development. He headed the family's business and equipment development projects until the late '90s and was still active in the business until his death. He was responsible for the flow sheet and designs that became the Arctic Miner TM and was instrumental in the development of the a soil remediation concept that became Terra Wash TM. He had an innate ability to draw from his varied and extensive life experience to provide solutions to design issues and operational problems. Mr. Wood was a walking encyclopedia of mechanical knowledge.

From 1967 until 1972, he was a senior member in the Civil Air Patrol, rising to the rank of captain in command of the Matanuska Valley Cadet Squadron in Palmer, which he and his wife Margaret organized.

Over the years, he and his wife were active in the Moose Lodge in Palmer and in the local dart league.

Not many people get a second chance at love in life. Mr. Wood was an exception. In 2000, he met Linda Langley of Georgia. Until his death, he and Linda were very happy together.

The family said, "It is an understatement to say that Woody will be missed by his family and his friends. He was a big man, standing 6 feet 1 inch tall. He cast a long shadow that will be ever present in the lives of his family and in his family business. His hard work in providing for his family, his generosity and his willingness to help made him a great father and endeared him to his friends."