Timothy Joel Wood

Timothy Joel Wood, 57, of La Grande, died Oct. 10 at Evergreen Health and Rehab Center of a fast-growing brain tumor. Services will begin at

1 p.m. Saturday at the Church of Christ with Minister Doug Edmonds officiating. Viewing will be one hour before the service. Burial will be later in Phoenix at the Hillcrest Cemetery at 11 a.m. Oct. 26.

Timothy was born Oct. 21, 1951, to Ralph and Charlotte Wood in Abilene, Texas. The family moved back to Oregon in 1953, and they moved to Ashland in March1954. He attended schools in Ashland, and graduated in May 1970.

He worked at numerous and varied jobs before going into the Navy where he was stationed on the USS Nathaniel Greene Nuclear Submarine. After being discharged, he worked on farms; as a taxi driver; a carnival driver; a telephone lineman in Montana; a tow truck driver; a big rig cross country driver; a Harley mechanic; a Medford Mail Tribune carrier; and at a truck wash.

Then in fall 1997, he moved to La Grande where he logged for Ken McCoy, and worked at the Blue Mountain Animal Shelter before he had a back injury and was forced to retire.

He was actively involved with the Union County Search and Rescue. He became a Man Tracker in the unit. Those who knew Timothy say he had a real passion for his Jeep and rock crawling with it. He was also involved with the American Legion.

He is survived by his mother, Charlotte Wood of La Grande; brothers, John and his wife, Diana Wood, of Dayton, Ohio, Dr. James and his wife, Maritza Wood, of Uvalde, Texas, and Thomas and Malinda Wood of Ashland; sister, Charity and her husband, Richard Henry, of

La Grande; and many other family members. He was preceded in death by his father.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Union County Search and Rescue or Irondyke Family Camp.

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