J Ralph Wood

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: LV4X-FVQ
• Initiatory (LDS): 5 Dec 1952, MANTI

Notes:

Millard County Chronicle Progress, April 14, 2021:

J. Ralph Wood
27 July 1929 ~ March 29, 2021

J. Ralph passed away peacefully in his sleep on March 29, while his belo v ed daughter, Heather, was visiting him in Nevada.

J. Ralph was born on July 1929 to John Ralph Wood and Leah Duncan Woo d i n Fillmore, Utah. He and his sisters Anna and Elaine enjoyed their wo nder ful home and family growing up in Fillmore .

J. Ralph's family spent summer vacations at Fish Lake and it was there t h at he met Jacqueline Jensen, his future wife. The Wood family spent ma n y happy summers fishing and boating on the lake. After high school, h e at tended BYU and as the Korean War escalated, he joined the Air Forc e in 19 52 and was assigned to the 4th Fighter Intercepter Wing, flyin g a Sabreje t. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for meritoriou s performanc e in Korea.

He married Jacqueline upon his return to Utah on December 5, 1952. The n e wlyweds moved to Florida so he could finish more pilot training. Upon r et urning to Salt Lake, J. Ralph worked for the First Security Title Comp an y while flying part time for the Air National Guard. The family grew a s R ussell (1954), Randall (1955) and Heather (1959) were born .

The family moved to Montgomery, Alabama from 1968-1969 for J. Ralph to a t tend the War College. They returned to Salt Lake and J. Ralph continue d h is career with First Security Title and Utah Air National Guard for t he n ext thirty years.

His first son, J. Russell Wood, cherished wife Jaqueline, and dear seco n d wife, Jill, preceded him in death. J. Ralph is survived by his childr en . Randall, Jill and their son, Zachary live in Colorado. Heather and h e r husband Toby Levitt, their children, Julie and John Edison (Eleanor) , G regory and Pauline Schlesinger, Sara Levitt, Matt Levitt, and Hanna L evit t live Utah.

After Jacqueline's passing, J. Ralph was blessed with a new beginning wh e n he ran into an old friend from high school, Jill Bunker. Jill brough t h er love for adventure and her wonderful family into his life. Larry a nd K athleen Jensen's family (Draper), Clark Johnson's family (Park City ) an d Eric and Christy Johnson's family (Salt Lake City) welcomed J. Ral ph in to their lives.

Ralph and Jill moved to Nevada and enjoyed their new beginning. J. Ral p h was surrounded by wonderful friends and neighbors .

The Wood and Levitt families would like to thank Carolyn Mcvey, Gary a n d Suzanne Egeland, and Jack and Elaine O'Neil for their wonderful frien ds hip, support and caring for J. Ralph during his many years with them .

Ralph's Cocktail Memorial will be held Thursday, May 27 from 4:30 to 6: 3 0 p.m. PST at Ralph's home.

J married Jacqueline Jensen on 5 Dec 1952 in Manti, Sanpete, Utah, United States. Jacqueline (daughter of Leo James Jensen and Ada May Smith) was born on 4 May 1934 in Emery, Emery, Utah, United States; died on 26 Aug 2005 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States; was buried in Sep 2005 in Fillmore, Millard, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

J married Barbara Jill Bunker on 14 Sep 2006 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. Barbara (daughter of Owen Woodruff Bunker and Ruth Collier Robison) was born on 30 Apr 1932 in Fillmore, Millard, Utah, United States; died on 3 Sep 2018 in Mesquite, Clark, Nevada, United States; was buried on 11 Sep 2018 in Park City Cemetery, Summit, Utah, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KWC2-CL6
• Initiatory (LDS): 17 Nov 2009, BOUNT

Notes:

Obituary: The Salt Lake Tribune, March 3, 1998:

J. Russell Wood, born on February 19, 1954, passed away March 1, 1998, a f ter a short illness.

A graduate in mathematics from the University of Utah, he received an Ho n ors at Entrance Scholarship and a Presidential Scholarship. He went o n t o the Graduate School of Architecture. Russell was an avid fly fisher man , and enjoyed most outdoor activities including duck hunting and skii ng . He also spent many hours teaching his niece and nephews how to fis h an d play chess.

He is survived by his parents, Ralph and Jacque Wood; his brother, Ran d y Wood and sister-in-law, Jill Wood; his sister, Heather Wood; niece, J ul ie Schlesinger and nephews, Zachary Wood and Greg Schlesinger.

The family would like to thank the staffs at both Pioneer Valley Hospit a l and LDS ICU Units for the dedication and compassion they extended t o Ru ssell and themselves.

A gathering of friends and family will be held Wednesday, March 4 from 7 - 8 p.m. at Evans and Early Mortuary, 574 East First South, Salt Lake Cit y.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Hunter Safety Program, 6000 West 21 0 0 South, SLC, UT 84120, would be greatly appreciated.