A memorial mass will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Holy Rosary Church in Edmonds for former Woodway Mayor Ross Joseph Wood, who passed away Nov. 15 at the age of 81.
Mr. Wood was born Sept. 29, 1931 in New York City to Anna (Callahan) and Benjamin Ross Wood. He graduated from Brooklyn Technological High School in 1949 and was accepted to Cornell University. College was interrupted by four years of service in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He then returned to Cornell and finished his degree in chemical engineering in 1954.
He met and married the love of his life, Jeannette Rose Picciano, in 1955. The couple started their family on the East Coast before moving to the West Coast in 1959. He took a job with The Boeing Company. He received his Masters in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Washington in 1962. After 35 years with Boeing, he retired in 1994.
Mr. Wood was very active in his community. In addition to serving as Mayor of Woodway from 1994-1998, he was known for his work with Holy Rosary Church, the Stevens Hospital Foundation and Community Transit.
He is survived by his wife, former Washington State Sen. Jeannette Wood and six children — Ross Joseph Jr. (Kathy), Christopher (Shannon), Jonathan (Carolyn), Therese (Bruce), Bridget (David), and Megan (Jack ) — 15 grandchildren and his sister Patricia.
Monday’s mass will be at 11 a.m. at Holy Rosary, 630-7th Ave. N. The burial will be at 1 p.m. at Restlawn Cemetery, 23800-104th Ave. W., on Tuesday, Nov. 27.
Donations are requested to Edmonds Community College, The Wood Family Scholarship, by calling 425-640-1149.
— Information courtesy of Beck’s Funeral Homes
Ross was a great guy and a strong leader. As Mayor, he served Woodway well and put up with considerable aggrivation from a very vocal minority on the Council. Comparing Town budget of today with those of his era, he did a masterful job in controlling expenses while providing needed services to the residents of Woodway. He will not be forgotten.