John ‘Toogie’ Wood, was born at home on February 1, 1933. He went to heaven November 18, 2024 at the age of 91 ½. He was second of two sons of Dorothy May Rowley and Herman William Wood. And a Mayflower descendant from the Edward Fuller family.

Dad graduated from Chapman Tech in New London. He was a sharp shooter in the US Marine Corp. Thankfully he didn’t see any combat because the Korean war ended.

He met our mother Elaine Boska Wood at a St Patrick’s day dance at Ocean Beach. They made a gorgeous couple and married June 4, 1955 at St John’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Chesterfield. They raised their two children, Eric Wood (Gales Ferry, CT) and Allison Wood Perkins (Barefoot Bay FL) in Groton. They are blessed with four adoring grandchildren: Joseph Rifkin, Rebecca Rifkin, Kelly Wood, Micheal Wood and three great grandchildren: Kaliyah, Kai, and Kobe Wiese.

After Elaine passed in 2003 dad married Judith Strickland in 2016. It warmed our hearts to know he was not alone and he was with somebody we’ve known all our lives.  Our mother’s best friend.

Dad was employed at EB starting as a welder and retiring at age 55 as a Senior designer. He worked on the Nautilus.  He was a member of the MDA and went through many heartbreaking strikes. He also worked part time at Pat’s TV delivering appliances. He retired from EB at age 55. He took up organic gardening selling produce at the local farmers markets.

Dad loved living near the water. For fun he owned various powerboats and sail boats. Exploring Fishers Island, Long Island and Block Island sound. Crabbing at night at Bluff Point, clamming in the Niantic River, salt water fishing. He made long distance boat trips from Lake Erie to Groton, Niantic to Florida on the ICW and Niantic to Fort Ticonderoga.

He enjoyed singing bass in the New London Barbershop SPEBSQSA participating in the chorus and quartets. He sang and attended at the Second Congregational church in New London.

Dad loved model railroads, once designing the old New London train bridge. He kept busy taking care of the farm and grounds at Silver falls in Chesterfield and tinkering around fixing boats and machinery. Dad and mom traveled through out the US and Canada staying in camp grounds or the boat-the Bottomline.

Dad had many, many good friends. Earlier in life he was friends with Eddie Mitchell, Larry Strickland, Joe Laro, George Payne, Norm Tipton, brother Billy Wood, cousin Donald Rowley and later he became friends with Bill Keene, Norm Richards, Sue and Dee Moore and his best friend Bob McNally, whom he loved, to name a few.

He loved the Lord and truly displayed the fruits of the spirit Galatians 5:22.

We want to thank the angels at Pelican Landing in Sebastian Florida and Hospice for their kindness and patience during his last days.

Dad died of Cerebral Arteriosclerosis on November 18, 2024.

We plan on bringing dads ashes to CT in the spring 2025.

We love you and will miss you dad.