Sunday, July 01, 2012

Howard Wood, supervised BJ press installation

Howard David Wood passed away June 16, 2012 at the age of 91½, having been a resident at Rockynol Assisted Living Community for 5½ years.

He was born in 1921 and lived in Goodyear Heights until his family moved to Texas and then to Arizona because his father was a Goodyear test driver. He returned to Ohio and graduated from Green H.S. in 1940 and resided in Copley from 1953-2006.

Howard worked for The Diebold Co. as an inspector of half track armor plate until he entered the Navy in 1942. He was trained as an electrician and served aboard the USS Montpelier (CL-57) light cruiser for three years in the Pacific.

He apprenticed as an electrician and worked for Loomis Electric for 36 years and was a lifelong member of Local 306. Howard was the foreman who supervised the installation of the new HOE printing presses, at the Akron Beacon Journal, in 1953. He was assigned, by Loomis, to be the production equipment electrician at the Beacon, 1963, and retired in 1983.

His interests were gardening, building, repairing, remodeling his home, and entertaining his seven grandchildren.

Howard was preceded in death by wife, Pauline F. Upchurch in 2005 (whom he married in 1947); his brothers, Faye and Fredrick; sister, Betty Kemph; and son-in-law, Christian Wilmoth. Survivors are son, Thomas Wood (Linda), and daughters, Linda Beckwith, Barbara Wilmoth'; grandfather to Todd Wood (Andrea), Lauren Wood Franklin (Gerald), Christopher, Charles, Curtis Beckwith, Mathew Wilmoth (Tabitha), Kay Wilmoth Nemes (Florin), and four great-grandchildren.

Private interment has taken place at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery, Rittman. Please visit the Guest Book to share a memory or to send a condolence.

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