Irvin Mock "Woody" Wood

Irvin Mock "Woody" Wood was born March 17, 1929 to Henry Ervin and Frances Cathell Williams Wood in Lexington, North Carolina. He went to school through the eighth grade and then went to work with his family, who were tobacco farmers and land owners, working hot days and long hours. In 1945, he married Elizabeth Rachaels and they had three children, Henry, Lynn and Roger, who still reside in North Carolina. He worked building pipelines while trying to raise a family and joined the U.S. Army in 1949 with a rank of Private First Class. He served most of his time in Okinawa, Japan, surviving Typhoon Gloria that July. He was transferred to the Army reserves in 1950 and honorably discharged in May 1955. Woody moved to Texas in 1962, and during a trip back to North Carolina in 1964, he met and married Peggy Joyce Jeffreys. They moved back to Texas and had a daughter, Lisa Kaye, while living and working in Spur. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Amarillo, which he called "The Garden Spot of the World." In those years, Woody worked in road construction for the engineering firm Gilvin-Terrill, Ltd. and became renowned as one of the "best grader men in Texas." In 1970, with the spirit of an entrepreneur, he purchased a Diamond Shamrock gas station on Western Blvd. where he sponsored a demolition derby car which ran at Southwest Raceway and "about worked himself to death." After he sold his station, he finally achieved a lifelong dream... purchasing his first Cadillac from what was then Garner Motors. After a 25-year career with Gilvin-Terrill, Woody was approached by Byron DePauw to join his construction firm, where he became a superintendent overseeing projects such as Westgate Mall, the Hereford Airport and the Walmart Distribution Center in Plainview. In 1986, Woody met and married the true love of his life, Lawanda Dyer, and he raised and loved her two children, Crystal and Johnathan, like they were his own. He lived a good life and would tell anyone who asked him. He worked with DePauw Earth Movers for 30 years and upon his retirement, provided security work for the successor company, DePauw Flyash, for many years. Woody was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Frank Wood, Jr. and Thad Kerr Hartley. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Lawanda Dyer Wood, a son Henry Wood and his wife, Phyllis, a daughter Lynn Moody of Lexington, North Carolina and a son, Roger Wood of Albemarle, North Carolina. He is also survived by a daughter, Lisa Kaye Wood Ivie Miller and her husband, Scott W. Miller of Austin, TX; two step-children Johnathan Beckett and his wife, Teresa and Crystal Beckett Brewer of Amarillo, Texas. He is also survived by his beloved sister-in-law Glenda Hartley of Lexington, North Carolina. Woody had 14 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren, and many loving friends. They are all blessed to have known him. The family asks that in lieu of flowers please make contributions to WeAreVeterans.org, Coffee Memorial Blood Center or the Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation.

Visitation Schedule

Cox Funeral Home 4180 Canyon Drive Amarillo, TX 79109 Friday, January 16, 2015 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Service Schedule

Funeral Service Cox Funeral Home Benton Chapel 4180 Canyon Drive Amarillo, TX 79109 Saturday, January 17, 2015 10:00 a.m.

Burial Schedule

Memory Gardens Cemetery Amarillo , TX

Memorial Contributions

WeAreVeterans.org xxxxxx, XX Coffee Memorial Blood Center Amarillo, TX Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation Amarillo, TX