Elzie Wood

Elzie Lynn Wood, affectionately known to all as Woody, embarked on his final adventure on March 24, 2025, in the town of Trinity, Texas. Born in Nacogdoches, Texas, on August 29, 1945, Woody's zest for life was evident from the get-go, and he carried that energy through an incredible 79 years. Woody was a man of many hats – literally and figuratively. He started his career as a logger, tough as the trees he felled, and then shifted gears to keep the peace as a security guard at Hudson ISD, He didn't stop there; Woody spent over a decade with Brown & Root, where he was as sturdy as the foundations he helped build. Eventually, he found his calling as a guard at the Terrell Unit, later known as Polunsky, and finally retired from the Huntsville prisons. Woody was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Sue, who shared nearly 61 years of laughter and love with him. His parents Elton E. and Iva Dell Wood, granddaughter Heather & husband Bobby McMasters & great grandson JR, sisters Joyce Cooper and Louise Batson. His legacy continued through his children, Donald Wood and wife Tish of Oklahoma, Denise Lee and late husband Avery of Trinity, and Michael Wood and wife Roxanne of Arkansas. Woody was the patriarch of a clan that included grandkids Rachael Withem of Trinity, Dru Withem of Diboll, Dakota Wood and wife Kayleigh of Oklahoma, Jasmine Ubillas of Arkansas, and Jonathan Wood of Arkansas, as well as a team of great-grandkids, Reagan Dwire and Caley Dwire of Hudson, Kambreigh Wood, Kaidon Wood, Knleigh Wood, Karter Wood, Kylor Wood, Karleigh Wood, Xain Dawdy, Addison Dawdy, and Magnolia Ubillas. Education for Woody was a mix of formal and life experiences, with his early years spent at Huntington school, and then, like a fine wine, he matured into his GED in Houston. Woody's interests were as expansive as the Texas plains. An outdoorsman at heart, his old house was a haven for kids who learned the true meaning of "play" in his barn and the art of tending to "memaw's flowers" in the yard. A gun enthusiast with a bang, Woody ensured that summers were never quiet, turning grandkids and great-grandkids into sharpshooters. Woody's life was a testament to the fact that you don't need to take life too seriously to make a serious impact. His laughter was infectious, his presence was a comfort, and his stories were the kind that you'd want to hear twice, just to catch the punchlines you missed the first time around. He was a character in the truest sense, and his final curtain call is one that leaves us all standing in applause. In the end, Woody left this world as he lived in it: with a twinkle in his eye and probably with one last joke on his lips. Heart failure may have claimed his last breath, but it never touched his spirit. Elzie Lynn Wood, our beloved Woody, was a man who lived and laughed with everything he had. The family will be holding a private Memorial in his memory.