Doug Wood

Doug was the most kind person I’ve ever known. He taught me how to be kind. He never met a stranger and made you feel instantly seen, heard, loved and instant belonging. He made loving him easy. He laughed with all of him. The giggle that came out was delightful and soulful and pure joy. He was gentle and humble and fierce and strong. He loved science and how things work. He was a math whiz. His hugs were healing like finally finding where you belong, like home.

He cared deeply for us. Lots of people say they would do anything for anyone, Doug DID it. When most people did not notice, he calmly and quietly swam to the bottom of a pool and saved a life. He saved so many of us from drowning in the dark with a smile, a laugh and a hug.

Blake knew from the moment he was born that Doug was his partner in all things. Doug spoke for Blake for the first two years of Blake’s life. Doug spoke up for many of us when we did not have words. Doug looked up to his little brother and was so proud of Blake. When Blake won, Doug won. He truly is Blake’s biggest fan. Doug was always in Blakes corner, on the wrestling mat and off.

Morgan remained on a pedestal from Doug’s first thought of her. She is Morgan Caroline because Doug said he and Blake were named for Gary and Ron, so Morgan had to be named for Caroline and Peggy. He made rational logical sense of lots of things for us. He named us and many others family, worthy, precious. Creeks rising could not keep Doug from getting to Morgan when she needed him most. He drove through a flood to make sure she was safe. Nothing could keep Doug from any of us. He is with us now and will be always.

Doug learned how to work hard cooking hushpuppies, at Hickory Log BBQ. There was more learned than how to cook and cater and clean. He learned how to say what you mean and mean what you say. He learned how work can be play and how to keep secrets. He learned that more than biology makes you family, makes you brothers and sisters and sons and daughters.

Doug made Pat and Ron grandparents. They are like a three-strand cord that will never be broken. Rice Krispy treats eaten out of the pot on the kitchen floor, cannon balls in the pool in the back yard. A sanctuary of peace and happiness. Holy ground filled with laughter, sports talk, jokes, and stories. The grace shared there is how Doug learned that God is not in a building. Holy ground where communion was served in every yoohoo and serving of ice cream with chocolate syrup.

Emily knows what it like to be on a moving pedestal. Doug would raise her up as his beautiful sister and then lower her because she was taking his brother. The wonderful relationship they have is authentic and the one topic in his life he was slow to learn. She repeatedly has told him she was not taking his brother away but joining them both in the ride or die. For that she was the first honorary member of the Original Wood Bus Riders.

Rhylan, Brandtson and TC know the love only Uncle Doug could give. From dancing around the kitchen, laughing for hours on end playing games, making sandcastles at Oak Island, to spaghetti dinners around the table together; Doug shared with us all the importance in the little things and to enjoy every moment in life.

Through Doug, Sabrina knows what it’s like for a prince to make your dreams come true. Sabrina and Doug were each other’s person in every sense of the meaning. They shared a sense of humor and a love of all things nerdy and punny. Doug was known, seen, heard and understood in a way he had never experienced prior; as was Sabrina. They loved to laugh and create memories and jokes only they could share. They brought healing, wholeness, and peace into each others lives. Doug was all in with Sabrina, Aidan, and Hallie. Aidan and Hallie made Doug’s dream to be a dad come true. Aidan and Doug shared a passion for video games and spoke a language only the two of them understood. Doug learned the personal language of all of us and spoke our languages fluently. Hallie and Doug gave each other space to be and closeness that counts. They bonded over their shared love of animals. Woody, Wednesday, Spade and Toast completed their family. Loving Sabrina, Aidan, and Hallie was the joy of Doug’s life. Just as Doug brought joy to all those he met.

Doug’s love and light shall continue to echo around and through us all.

As Doug has transitioned to be with the saints, he joins maternal great-grand parents William Raymond and Gladys Carpenter and Nannie Sue Morgan, maternal grandparents, Bill and Peggy Carpenter, paternal great-grand parents, Ambrose and Geneva Greene and Cordell and Lillian Wood, great-uncle Steven Wood, uncle Ricky Wilkins, uncle Raymond Carpenter.

Celebrating his life and carrying his light are grandparents, Ron and Pat Wood, parents Gary and Caroline Wood, siblings Morgan Wood, Blake and Emily Wood, fiancé Sabrina Lyons, Aidan Lyons and Hallie Hoyle, nephews, Rhylan and Brandtson Wood, niece TC Wood, Aunts and Uncles, Tommy and Lynn Davis, Kelly Carpenter, Marcia Wilkins, and Lowell Parrish. Cousins, family and friends who are no less important and no less loved by Doug.

We have chosen to honor Doug’s life by setting up a Doug Wood Memorial Fund at Salem United Methodist Church, Post Office Box 220, Bostic, North Carolina 28018.  The fund will support people and causes for which Doug deeply cared and volunteered. You may join us in continuing to celebrate Doug's life. 

The family will celebrate his life in a private memorial service.

The Padgett and King Mortuary & Crematory is in charge of arrangements and an online guest registry is available at www.padgettking.com

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.