Elmer Long Wood

Elmer Long Wood “Woody” of St. Joseph died May 24, 2014 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph.  Woody’s good humor, quick wit, and positive outlook will be missed by all. He was 94.  Elmer was born December 9, 1919 in Detroit, the son of James Grover and Lutie (Long) Wood.  He spent his early years in Detroit until the Wood family moved to Armada, MI where Elmer graduated from Armada High School and then attended the University of Detroit.  Woody enlisted in the US Coast Guard and served from 1941-1945, first in the North Atlantic and later on Coast Guard Cutters based in Sturgeon Bay WI. On October 16, 1943 Elmer married Margaret Marik of Sturgeon Bay WI.  Elmer and his loving wife Margaret were married over 70 years, when Margaret passed away in April of this year.   Woody is survived by  a brother, James of West Branch, MI,  and  a sister,  Eleanor of Gilroy, CA,  three  surviving children,  Mary Lou (Jon)Dickie of Ypsilanti, MI,  Sally (Mark) Corff of Scottsdale,  AZ, and Margaret ‘Peggy’(Rick)Jersey of Petoskey,  MI;  six grandchildren, Heather Burdette of Houston,  TX, Caroline Downer of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,  Ben Tobian of Atlanta, GA,  Beth Alberts of Highland Park, Il, Michael Jersey of Santa Rosa Beach, Fl., and Kevin Wood of Tacoma, WA; and eleven  great grandchildren ,  Alex and Andrew Burdette, Owen and Elle Downer,  Annabel  and Alex Alberts,  Meyer and Mila Tobian, and  Skyler, Ella Rose, and Madilynn Jersey.  He was preceded in death by his parents, and a sister, Lutie Papish of East Lansing, MI, and in 2013, a son, William James Wood of Howard, Ohio. After separating from the Coast Guard, Woody began a career in the trucking industry at Cherry Land Transport in Green Bay WI.  In 1951 he moved to St. Joseph, MI to manage Midwest Transit Lines.  In 1970 Woody purchased Gantz Transportation and Storage, which he managed until he retired in 1990 after a 45 year career in the Transportation industry. Woody was an avid golfer and long time member of Berrien Hills Country Club, where he served on the board of directors and was President of the Country Club from 1979-1980. A celebration of Woody’s life will take place at his daughter’s home at 2211 Lakeview, St. Joseph, from 2:00-4:00 Saturday, June 7, 2014.  Memorial contributions in Woody’s name may be made to the National Kidney Foundation. Those wishing to share a memory of Woody online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com