Gene F. Wood (1919-2016)

STRONG – Gene F. Wood, 96, peacefully passed away on Sept. 23, 2016, at his home in Strong.

He was born in Greenville, Texas, on Nov. 14, 1919, the son of Emmett E. Wood and Sidney Frances Hill. He attended schools in Shreveport, Louisiana, and college at Texas A&M. In 1941 he married F. Erlene Baston of Livermore Falls; they were married 66 years.
Gene was a WWII veteran, enlisting in the US Navy shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack where he served in the Pacific.

Gene was a boiler maker or “tank builder” by trade and was employed by Chicago Bridge & Iron Co. as foreman and later a supervisor, building large commercial water, oil and gas tanks in the U.S. and all over the world.

Devotion not only to country but to his family and children were the hallmarks of his life.

Sledding was his favorite winter activity (with or without his grandchildren). Gene enjoyed snowshoeing, photography, target practice, watching wildlife, riding around the Maine countryside and amusing visitors with novelty toys. Most of all his favorite pass time from a young boy until the final days of his life was reading. He owned one of the earliest personal computers on the market and enjoyed teaching his family as well as volunteering in the Strong School; delighting many children with their first computer experiences.

He leaves his daughter, Carole Goodwin of Strong; seven grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren: David and Michelle Pinkham, Connor, Cassidy and Sydney of Poland; Scott Pinkham of Phillips and Destiny of Poland; Ryan Coffren of Wakefield, Mass.; J.Randall and MaryAnne Goodwin, Adrian and Joshua Heatly, Braylon and Olivia of Rangeley and James of Portland; Kelly and John Habig of Rye, N.H., Joshua and Ruthanna Robinson, Haley, Mia and Payton of Greenland, N.H.; Zakary Robinson and Amy Broman of Portsmouth, N.H.; Cheryl and Justin Caramagno, Georgia and Noah of Eliot; Susanne and Roger Wright and Calli of Greenland, N.H.; his sister-in-law, Lorraine and Brud Mitchell of Freeman, Nadene Pillsbury and family of Strong, Dorene and Kevin James and family of Avon, Steven Mitchell and family of Strong, Stephanie and Michael Rizzo and family of Neidermohr, Germany.

He was predeceased by his wife, Erlene, daughter Sandra Coffren of Strong, his brother Bill C. Wood of Shreveport, Louisiana, and son-in-law James A. Goodwin of Strong.

A memorial service to celebrate his life with a veteran flag ceremony will be held at the Forster Memorial Building at 14 South Main St. in Strong on Monday, Oct. 10, 2016, at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  A luncheon will follow. A private burial service will be held later in the afternoon. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the non profit organization “Vets Matter” at vetsmatter.org.