George Wood

by Karen Adams

Title

George Wood

Artist

Karen Adams

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

I wish you would have known him, because if you had, he would be your friend. Dad never considered anyone a stranger. He talked to everyone. He would know your name. He would remember your name. He would ask about your family, your life and the next time he would see you, he would call you by name and continue that conversation. He was friends with cleaning people, with construction workers, with clerks and receptionists, even though he had been the executive in top companies. He walked with God and lived by one rule, to love his neighbor. He did not judge others, although he had strong beliefs.
He was generous. He was a gifted artist. He painted beautiful paintings, He etched and drew wonderful pastel images. On a trip to Wales with Mom, he fell in love with our heritage and the art of carving Love Spoons. It became a passion of his even though he fought terrible tremors in his hands. Somehow he carved magnificent works of art out of pieces of wood. Then he would give them away; to his doctor on his retirement, to a choir director, to ministers, to friends and to his brother on an anniversary just to name a few.
He LOVED golfing. He loved singing and sang in church choirs. He acted in church plays. He square danced. He loved playing pool with his new friends at their retirement community. He invented and carved a wood device to help steady his hand and the shaky hand of a friend to help their game. He loved painting a new Christmas scene on their big picture window every year for many of the past 50 years. He loved creating, inventing and helping anyone who needed help.
In 1979, he and my mom rented out their house and lived for a year at Henderson Settlement in Kentucky. They were substitute house parents for teens who, for one reason or another, could not live with their own families. It was demanding to say the least. The birth of their first grandchild pulled them back home, but for many years they would stage "Christmas in July" at their church to gather gifts to take back for those kids. When the Mississippi River flooded, they went off with a group to help. They would always help where ever help was needed.
He loved his dog, Beau, who he walked twice a day for 14 years, no matter the weather, no matter if dad wasn't feeling well. They walked. When Beau died, Dad slowed down. He had a stroke three months later that took away his ability to speak. In his mind he remembered everyone, but he could not come up with their names or even his own! He worked so hard with his therapist and was able to draw pictures and finally get out some words to communicate. He was so worried about my mom and the care she was getting, now that he wasn't taking care of her himself. When he would see old friends he would hug them and say "I love you!" He did love everyone, but most of all he loved my mom. We got them all settled in Assisted Living and he knew she was going to be ok. He died 13 days later.
He was a wonderful man, I wish you could have known him!

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December 12th, 2013

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