Thomas Edward Wood, III

Bud was born September 20, 1928, to Thomas and Bertha (Hadlock) Wood in Wells, Nevada. His sister Ina was about two at the time and the family was living in a canvas house in Gold Canyon, where Bud’s dad was mining. The family made the move to Battle Mountain, Nevada, and more sisters and a brother would join the family, Betty, Berdell, and John. Bud had a lot of fond memories of living in Battle Mountain, hunting, fishing, school, cars, and jobs.

He always had a job; building a fire mornings in the church furnace, working for Dr. Griece in his drug store, sweeping out the store, washing store windows drying them with newspapers to make them shine, keeping water containers in the tobacco counter filled so the chewing tobacco wouldn’t get too hard, and hurrying to be the first to stand in line at the high school basketball games, to save a good seat for the Dr. Griece. He worked for Ray Lemaire’s Gas station and Don Shovelin’s garage, learning a lot about engines. The best job was running the projection room at the local theater, because he got to view the latest movies.

His first car was at age 12, a 1920’s Model T that ran, but had no tires, just rims. The neighborhood kids would pool their pennies to put gas in it and then they all had to push it to get it started, and ride until it ran out of gas.

His family moved in 1944 to Chandler, Arizona. Bud started Chandler High School that year, his sophomore year. Again, he worked mornings and evenings milking for his grandparents. His senior year he played basketball and football where his met his lifelong friends, brothers Sharkey and Charlie Baker and Bill Murphy, just to name a few. This was about the time Bud showed his adventurous side and different road trips with friends Sharkey and Bill Murphy happened; The Grand Canyon, New Mexico and Carlsbad Caverns, and Canada to visit all the state and national parks (living on a 100-pound sack of potatoes and a case of tomato soup). This was the days before interstate highways and top speed was about 35 miles per hour, if your car broke down, you fixed it yourself.

Bud started at Arizona State University in 1946 and this is where he met and made another lifelong friend, Tom Pendergast. They both had a lot in common, loved hunting and fishing, both taught at Chandler Junior High School, and both became principals in the Chandler School District.

Bud graduated from ASU in 1950 and married Jean Harkey. Thomas E Wood IV “Tommy” was born April 1951. Bud and Jean divorced in 1952.

In 1952 Bud was teaching in Pinedale, Arizona, teaching fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades in one room. He chose Pinedale to be closer to hunting and fishing. He met Irene Nora Cornwall that year, on a double date that went well. Bud and Irene got engaged at the Valentine Ball at Northern Arizona College, where Irene was a freshman. They were married in July of 1953, the beginning of 69 adventurous years together. Bud and Irene moved to a new house and new job in Chandler where he started at Chandler Junior High School, as a science teacher. Cynthia “Cyndi” was born April 18, 1954, and Mark Wood five years later March 9, 1959.

In the summer of 1957 Bud and Irene bought a cabin on Lake Como, Montana. As a teacher he had summers off and they took small groups of Bud’s past students for 4 weeks at a time, two times a summer to pay for their cabin and summer fun. Adventures included hiking, water skiing, and visiting the local National parks, Glacier, and Yellowstone. After Bud became a principal and his summers were shorter, they’d only take one group. Eventually they stopped and enjoyed the summers with visiting family and friends. They took forty students over the years. Bud and Irene donated the cabin to the National Forest Service in 1993 to preserve the historic cabin and to make it available for others to use and enjoy as Bud’s family had over the years. They bought 20 acres just down the road from Lake Como to start a new chapter and home.

In 1968, Bud took flying lessons and became a pilot, getting to see the country from a new advantage point. In their four-seater Cessna they continued their adventures all over the western United States, east to Kansas and north to Canada. He also took many students and their parents, friends, and family for rides.

Bud was a Chandler City Councilman for 12 years and Vice Mayor of Chandler for 4 years from 1962 to 1974. He was proud of the work he did, including setting up the ordinance guidelines for the emerging Chandler Municipal Airport.

Bud taught seven years at the Junior High and after completing his master’s degree in Administration became a principal in 1960. He was a principal and opened Denver Elementary (San Marcos), Galveston, Chandler Heights, and Erie over the years. He retired in 1987. Thirty-seven years in education and thirty-four years in the Chandler School District.

After retiring they traded their plane for an RV, and again saw more of the country, visiting all the states except Hawaii, and all but the top three Canadian Providences. In addition, they traveled in their RV to Nova Scotia two times to see square dance friends they met in Arizona.

For many years Bud and Irene split their time between Arizona and Montana. In 2018 they moved back to Chandler where they had begun their married life 65 years ago. Their new home was a senior living community.

Bud was proceeded in death by his parents, sisters, and brother. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Irene Nora (Cornwall), children; Thomas Wood IV and Mary (Oja), Darby, Montana; Cyndi (Wood) Henning and Ron, Flagstaff, Arizona; Mark A Wood and Carol (Stanley), Gilbert, Arizona.

Grandchildren; Sara (Wood) Bramblett and Justin, Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho; Thomas Wood V, Darby, Montana; Nathan Henning and Amber (Annecchini), Flagstaff, Az.; Kelton Wood and Halee (Buck), Darby, Montana; Keelan Wood, Seattle, Washington; Kieran Wood, Gilbert, Arizona.

Great Grandchildren: Liam and Brooke Henning, Rhaya and Koda Bramblett, and Kannon and Lola Wood.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Celebration of Life Service with reception to follow at Valley of the Sun Mortuary and Cemetery, 10940 E Chandler Heights Rd, Chandler, AZ 85248 on Saturday, September 3, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. The inurnment at Valley of the Sun Cemetery with be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Battle Mountain Cookhouse Museum, PO Box 663, Battle Mountain, Nevada 89820.