Allen Wilton Wood Jr., 87, went to his heavenly home on Tuesday, October 7, 2014. He died peacefully in his home surrounded by his loving family.
He was born in the Rockfish community July 6, 1927 to Allen W. Wood and Mary Kate Easterling Wood. He was predeceased in death by his brothers, Young McDonald Wood and Harold Craig Wood, a nephew, Joe Allen Monroe and a step-granddaughter, Brenna Marie Currie. He graduated from Hoke High School and then served briefly in the United States Navy at the end of World War II. He returned home after the war and attended Presbyterian Junior College in Maxton, North Carolina and then went to work for the Bank of Raeford. In 1963 he entered the insurance business as an agent with National Old Line Insurance Company, now TransAmerica Life Insurance Company, and served with the company for 51 years.
He was a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Rockfish during his youth, and later joined First Baptist Church of Raeford with his wife Jeanne as a young married couple where he was an active member for 50 years. He was currently a member of First Baptist Church of Aberdeen. Wilton was also involved in the Kiwanis Club of Raeford for many years, and was a member of the Hoke County Board of Education from 1961-1976.
He was preceded in death by his school-teacher-bride and wife of 48 years, Jeanne Craik Shiel Wood. They made their home together in Raeford until her death on May 1, 1997. He subsequently married Betty McGugan Currie of Red Springs and settled in Moore County.
Other surviving family include his daughter Jeanne Elizabeth (Beth) Wood Walters and her husband Stuart of Fayetteville, and sons Allen W. Wood III and partner Kenneth Wilkinson of Hickor, David Shiel Wood and his wife Judy of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and John Mark Wood and his wife Janet of Haw River; stepsons, Larry Eugene Currie and his wife Joann of Jamestown, Richard Keith Currie and his wife Becky of Red Springs, and stepdaughter Marcia Ann Currie of Greensboro; his sister Julian Ann Wood Monroe of Raeford; his brother Marion McQuage Wood and his wife Virginia of Southern Pines; grandchildren Mark Corriher Wood, David Shiel Wood, Jr. and his wife Dr. Bernadette Wood, Anne Elizabeth Wood, John Wilton Wood, Leland Tracey Wood, Susan Elizabeth Walters Brown and her husband HM3 David Brown, Sarah Stuart Walters, Stephanie Suzanne Wood McNeely and her husband Bobby McNeely, Lauren Kimberly Wood and Melissa Morgan Wood; step-grandchildren Trevor Martin, Heather Gates, Alex Gates, Michael Andrew Currie and his wife Amanda, and Benjamin Neal Currie; numerous great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild; and nieces and nephews Don Wood, Jr. Becky Wood, Barry Wood, Todd Wood, Ronald Monroe and Deborah McLeese.
A service celebrating his life will be held at First Baptist Church of Aberdeen on
October 10 at 11 a.m. The family will receive guests in the church fellowship hall prior to the service at 10 a.m. The Rev. Mike Branscome and the Rev. Zeb Moss will officiate. A burial service at Raeford Cemetery will be conducted at 1:30 p.m.
Crumpler Funeral Home of Raeford is serving the family.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Aberdeen First Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 1066, Aberdeen, NC 28315.