Ned Edmond Wood

Ned Edmond Wood, Sr., age 92, went to heaven on April 12, 2012 while at the St. Clare Hospice House in Baraboo, Wisconsin.

Ned and his twin brother Fred were born at home in the Township of Springville, Adams County on September 24th, 1919 to Glen C. Wood, Sr. and Sylvia (Allen) Wood. Ned attended the Twin Valley and Town Line Grade schools through the eighth grade.  Later he began a career as a farmer, first with his brothers, and later renting a farm near his parents in the Town of Springville in southern Adams County. On May 4th, 1946 Ned married Delma O. Byers and bought a farm in Twin Valley together where they lived for almost 66 years.  They did everything together whether it was planting, harvesting, raising hogs, milking cows, and later transitioning into raising beef.  Ned’s folks loaned them a team of horses whenever they needed them to get started farming.   His first tractor was a 1937 John Deere B.   In those early years life wasn’t always easy.   As was common in those days, there was no electricity or indoor running water in their home. As time went on, improvements were made starting with a new well, drinking cups in the barn and even running water in the house.

Over the years he shared labor and machinery with his brother Clinton who farmed near them.  Ned rented farm land from as many as seven neighbors at one time during many of those years.   Ned also worked “out” to help to raise the money for improvements on the farm such as the barn cleaner.   He worked on a crew that built the Highway 82 Bridge.   Ned also worked at the “powder plant” or Badger Ammunition Plant south of Baraboo a couple of different times.  The second time was during the Vietnam War.

Ned was very proud of his son Ned Jr. and his daughter Catherine Ann.   He enjoyed his grandchildren and great grandchildren immensely.  His eyes lit up to see them and to hear what was new with them.

Ned and Delma took their children on a family vacation to the Badlands and the Black Hills while visiting Delma’s family in North Dakota.  In later years, Ned and Delma made several trips to Texas in February to visit his brother Fred and his wife, Anne.   They also traveled Wisconsin to see points of interest and historical sites.   While Ned’s health was good he never missed a family reunion, voting in an election, or attending the annual Township meetings.

Ned helped his daughter and her husband with their farm any way he could– loaning them a hay baler when theirs broke, wheel barrowing cement for their addition to the dairy barn, hauling high moisture corn to fill the silo, or hauling a “new” tractor home from north of Green Bay.

Ned enjoyed deer hunting in the fall with his family… almost as much as telling the hunting stories.   He also enjoyed fishing in the summer with his brother Fred and friends.  When he was younger he enjoyed ice fishing through the ice with his son-in law and grand children.  He also caught trout out of the creek and fished from a small farm pond he had made and stocked with trout and bass.    In later years, he did some fishing from the breakwaters off the shores of Sheboygan.    His grandson, Ron even stayed overnight with him and taught him how much fun it was to go turkey hunting.   As Ned’s health started to fail, his son Ned Jr. visited him daily to help out.   They enjoyed joking together and Ned Jr.  fondly remembers his dad’s “dry sense of humor” and his wit.

Ned was preceded in death by his parents, Glen Wood, Sr. and Sylvia (Allen), his sister Vadah, brothers, Clinton (Dorothy), Ronald (Margaret), and Fred Wood; and son-in-law, William Grabarski.

Ned E. Wood, Sr. is survived by:
Wife, Delma O. (Byers) Wood
Son, Ned E. Wood, Jr. (Donna) of Wisconsin Dells
Daughter, Catherine A Grabarski of Grand Marsh
Grand children:
Michael (Dawn) Wood of Beaver Dam
Marcy Wood-Theiss and Curt Jackson of Wisconsin Dells
Rebecca Grabarski of Grand Marsh
Richard Grabarski of Grand Marsh
Ronald (Sara) Grabarski of Grand Marsh
Great grand children:
Michela and Alexa (twins), Kelly, and John Michael of Madison
Chase and Trinity Theiss of Wisconsin Dells
Emily, Sarah, and Emmett Lyons, of Beaver Dam
Brother, Glen (Shirley) Wood, Jr. of Wisconsin Dells
Brother, Robert Wood of Grand Marsh
Sister-in law, Anne Wood of Olney, Texas
Further survived by other relatives and friends.

The family will greatly miss him.  Ned was a honest, hardworking man, who loved the life on his farm, being outdoors close to nature, and spending time hunting and fishing with family.   But, he especially enjoyed those special times throughout his life that he shared with his loving wife, Delma.  The family wishes to thank his many friends for all of those loving memories.

The funeral will be 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 17th, 2012 at Roseberry’s Funeral Home in Friendship, Wisconsin.  Pastor Dwight Condon will officiate.  Interment will be at the Plainville Cemetery, Town of Dell Prairie, Adams County, Wisconsin.

Visitation will at Roseberry’s Funeral Home on Tuesday from 9 a.m. until the time of service.