Wood, James

James Wood

Services: Have been held.

Mr. James “Jimmy” Wood, 75, of Portales, died Wednesday, July 2, 2003, following a traffic accident west of Muleshoe.

He was born on March 16, 1928, in Ballinger, Texas, to Lucy and William Troy Wood.

Mr. Wood grew up in the Ballinger area. In 1945, he and his family moved to Portales. He served in the U.S. Navy, then returned to Portales. At first, he worked on area farms.

On March 19, 1949, he was married to Theresa Kent.

About a year later, they moved to Downey, Calif., where he worked as a fork lift operator in a box factory. Following his retirement, they moved back to Portales in 1973. In 1974, he went to work at Southwest Canners Inc. as a fork lift operator. In the late 1980s, he retired from that job.

Later, he and his wife delivered papers for the Portales News-Tribune. Then he worked at the NAPA store, and after that at Craig Hughes Welding.

Mr. and Mrs. Wood coached youth-league baseball teams.

Mr. Wood loved fishing and talking to people, family members said.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Troy Wood.

Survivors include his wife; six sons, Larry (and wife Debi) Wood of Brownfield, Texas, Charles Wood of Alamogordo, Doug Wood, Jeffery (and wife Brenda) Wood, Bill Railing and Michael (and wife Leetha) Lovering, all of Portales; one daughter, Deborah Taylor of Portales; two sisters, Frona Jones of Portales and Billie Witt of Woodward, Okla.; 18 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

The Rev. Garlan Hughes will officiate the services.

Family members and friends will be honorary pallbearers.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.