Raymond Christopher Wood

Raymond C. Wood, 90, of Richmond passed peacefully on Thursday, April 30, 2015 surrounded by family. He was born August 26, 1924 in Cooper, Virginia to the late Wilda Blake and Philip Christopher Wood. He was preceded in death by his adored wife, Rebecca D. Wood. He is survived by two sons, Christopher Guy Wood and daughter-in-law, Lynn F. Wood of Richmond; and Jeffrey Ray Wood and daughter-in-law, Nancy A. Maurelli of Roanoke, Virginia; two grandchildren, Michael C. Wood and Stacey L. Roberts; two great-grandchildren, Trenton D. Wood and Samantha L. Roberts; and his sister, Ella W. Johnson. He graduated from Syringa High School in 1942 and went on to attend Smithdeal Massey Business College before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1943 at the age of 19. Ray served his country during WW II as yeoman on board the USS Flint in the Pacific Theatre. Following WW II, he moved to Richmond to hone his sales skills at Sears & Roebuck while courting, and eventually marrying his childhood sweetheart, Becky Drewery. After retiring from Sears, Ray brought his sales expertise to Century 21 and embarked on a highly successful second career in real estate sales. He was an avid University of Richmond basketball fan, and could be found in his same seat for many seasons cheering the Spiders on! He was a long-time member of the Tuckahoe Masonic Lodge and a dedicated member of Ridge Baptist Church where he served as a Deacon and financial advisor. However, his greatest joy in life was spending time with his lifelong best friend and wife, Becky, at his boyhood home on the banks of the Rappahannock River where he could spot (and catch!) a soft-shell blue crab nestled in the mud below three feet of water. The family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 3, at the Parham Chapel of Woody Funeral Home, 1771 N. Parham Road, Richmond. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, May 4, at Ridge Baptist Church, 1515 Eastridge Rd., Richmond. Interment will follow at 3 p.m. at Harmony Grove Baptist Church, 7722 General Puller Highway, Topping, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation or Ridge Baptist Church in Ray’s honor.