Jerry Dwayne Wood, age 84, of Flora, Illinois, passed away Friday morning, September 22, 2023, at HSHS St. Anthony’s Hospital in Effingham. 

     He was born March 22, 1939, in Blair Township, Clay County, Illinois, the son of Rolla and Velma (Wilson) Wood.  On August 19, 1957, he joined hands in matrimony with Carol Ann VanDyke during a wedding ceremony in Flora, and they recently shared their 66^th anniversary.

     Jerry had worked at Roadmaster, and later retired from NAL.  He enjoyed fishing, woodworking, and spending lots of time in his garden and yard.  He could pretty much master any challenge and repair anything that came his way.  Much joy came from spending time with his grandkids.  Jerry and Carol liked spending winters in Texas and making vacation trips to Branson, where Lake Taneycomo became his favorite spot for trout fishing.  He had been baptized in Mission, Texas, in 2019 and attended Christ's Church as long as his health permitted.

     He is survived by his wife: Carol Ann Wood of Flora; 2 sons: Mike (Denise) Wood and Todd (Jane) Wood, both of Flora; a daughter: Kari Wood of Louisville, Kentucky; 7 grandchildren: Rory (Kaci) O’Dell of Flora, Alan (Lucretia) Wood of Cisne, Mina Wood of Flora, Will Wood of Cisne, Aja Wood (Wayne Jones) of Xenia, Talia (Jeremy) Moore of Effingham, and Ian Wood of St. Louis; 8 great-grandchildren: Jett, Ayla, Adaline, Kennedy, Kenley, Emerson, Kerrigan, and Briar; a brother: Gary (Catherine) Wood of Dahinda; 2 sisters-in-law: Mary Hoy (Jeff Ingersoll) of Altamont and Nancy VanDyke of Xenia; a brother-in-law: Darrel (Carolyn) VanDyke of Lewisville, Texas;  as well as several nieces, cousins, and many good neighbors and friends.

     He was preceded in death by his parents; his mother-and-father-in-law: John and Louise VanDyke; a granddaughter: Sarah Lynne Wood; a brother-in-law: Charlie Hoy; a sister-in-law: Sharon Wood; and a nephew: Brad Wood.

     A funeral will be held 1 p.m. Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at Frank & Bright Funeral Home in Flora.  Burial will follow in Old Union Cemetery, Louisville.  Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.  Memorial donations are suggested to the donor’s choice of Christ’s Church of Flora, McCabe Church, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and these will be accepted via the funeral home.  To share a condolence or memory, visit: www.frankandbright.com