Thomas Wheeler Wood Jr.

Thomas Wheeler Wood of Williamsburg, born in Richmond on October 25, 1930, died January 31, 2015. He was the son of the late Dr. Thomas Wheeler Wood and Mildred Murrell Wood McLeod. Tom is survived by his wife of 59 years, Gillie Martin Wood, and their children, Thomas Garland Wood and his wife, Kelley Brown Wood of Williamsburg, Louise Wood Flanagan, U.S. District Court Judge, and her husband Michael Perkins Flanagan of New Bern, North Carolina, and David Wheeler Wood and his wife, Elizabeth Roark of Charles City, together with four grandchildren, Thomas Garland Wood Jr., Jessica Catherine Wood, Katherine Gillie Flanagan and Anna Louise Flanagan. Mr. Wood also is survived by his brother Henry Murrell McLeod and wife, Kaki McLeod of Greenville, North Carolina. Tom served as construction loan officer for a Richmond savings and loan firm prior to moving to Williamsburg in 1967 to become Executive Vice President for Williamsburg Savings and Loan. In 1969, he partnered with Tom Savage to form the Savage & Wood Agency, a real estate and insurance firm. Upon the death of his business partner, he established The Wood Agency, a real estate and insurance firm, which also provided antique and fine arts appraisals for banks, attorneys and various museums. He developed a specialty in locating historic properties for his clients. He also was involved in the development of several commercial properties in Williamsburg including the Governor Berkeley Professional Center. While Tom wound the business down in 1998, he remained interested in real estate and appraisal ventures for many years following. Tom was a former President of the Williamsburg Rotary Club and also served a term as President of the Ruritan Club. In 1970, he was elected President of the Williamsburg James City County Chamber of Commerce and represented the Chamber in Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.’s move to Williamsburg. From 1969 to 1972, he was a member of the Bruton Parish Church Vestry. Tom’s community mindedness also extended to service on a number of boards. Most recently he was a Charter Member of the Board of Middleburg Bank of Williamsburg, Virginia. In his youth, Tom enjoyed racing stock cars and boats. He was an avid collector of antiques. He enjoyed many friendships with those who shared the same interests here and abroad. For Tom, the fun was in the hunt. Items he collected can now be found within the collections of the State Department, Colonial Williamsburg, and the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts. He was a member of the American Society of Arms Collectors. Tom also was a member of Antiquarian Society of Richmond and served a term as President. He was a current member of the Collector’s Guild of Williamsburg. Tom took great pride in his restoration of Eagle’s Nest, a historic home in Charles City, where he and Gillie lived from 1982 until 2004. The funeral will be held at Bruton Parish Church on Saturday, February 7 at 2:30 PM, with the burial following at Cedar Grove Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the National Parkinson Foundation, 200 SE 1st St., Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131, The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, P.O. Box 2095, Surf City, NC 28445, or a charity of your choice.