Charles Donald WoodCharles Donald Wood, age 92, passed away quietly Friday, February 10, 2017, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Charles was born on February 4, 1925, in Ravenna, Kentucky to Martin O. Wood and Marjorie May Bottoms Wood. Charles was especially proud of his pioneer heritage. His ancestors were instrumental in the establishment of Fort Boonesborough, Kentucky in 1775. Charles graduated from Henry Clay High School in Lexington, Kentucky after spending 2 years in the Army Air Corps as a pilot and gunner on a B-29 bomber.It was in Lexington, Kentucky in junior high school that Charles met the love of his life, Mary Josephine Baker. Following his graduation from the University of Kentucky, he and Mary married and moved to Denver, Colorado where he completed a master's degree. They moved to Washington D.C. where he worked for two years at the National Institute of Health. He attended the University of North Carolina and received his Ph.D. in Physiology.Charles was a Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Arkansas for 7 years before moving to Pensacola, Florida to work with
NASA developing the motion sickness pill for the astronauts. He was recruited to come to Shreveport, Louisiana after his time with NASA to join the founding faculty of the L.S.U. Medical School in Shreveport. He served as Professor of Pharmacology and Associate Dean in his 25 year tenure. He retired in 1993 to enjoy the remainder of his days fishing and writing books.He was a 32 Degree Mason and a Shriner. He served in many capacities and every way he could for the Greenwood United Methodist Church in Greenwood, Louisiana.Charles was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Mary Josephine Baker Wood; and his daughter Ann Caroline Wood. He is survived by his daughters, Marie Wiseman Wood and her husband, Terry Borman of Fayetteville, Arkansas and Lucy Wood Perry and her husband, Robert Perry of Tyler, Texas; and his son, Charles Martin Wood and his wife, Cheryl Wiggs Wood of Tulsa, Oklahoma; 13 grandchildren; and a great granddaughter.He will always be remembered for his devotion to his family, his gentle, kind nature, his high integrity, his adventurousness spirit, and his incredible intelligence. He was a role model for all of our family and all who knew him.There will be a visitation on Sunday, February 19, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. at Osborn Funeral Home in Shreveport, Louisiana and a funeral service the following day, Monday, February 20, 2017, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with the Reverend Sandy DeFatta officiating. Burial will follow at Forest Park Cemetery in Shreveport, Louisiana.Pallbearers will be Charles Patrick Sullivan, John Austin Perry, Travis Wood Perry, Steven Dale Curtright, Nicholas John-Francis Claro, Nicholas Baker Wood, and Samuel Reece Wood.
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