Sherman Ray Wood's Obituary
Sherman Ray Wood Sr. passed away at the age of 95 on 29 April 2025
“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” - 2 Corinthians 5:8
Sherman Ray Wood was born on 2 Dec 1929 in Dallas, TX to William Arthur Wood and Nellie Pearl McBride. He lived his entire life in the Dallas area. His mother, Nellie Pearl, passed away in 1935 when Sherman was 5 ½ years old. His paternal grandmother, Amanda Wood, took him and his younger sisters, Virgie and Winifred, to raise. He proclaimed his belief in Jesus Christ and was baptized in the Pentecostal Church as a young child.
While he was only a young boy in Junior High School, Sherman took a bus into Dallas before school to work at a Dixie Cream donut shop. Throughout his young life he joined his family to work in manganese mines in Cushman, Arkansas and traveled to various places, as far as California, to pick cotton and harvest fruit. Sherman later went to work at a mattress factory for 6 years. He then worked at Giberson’s, a machine shop. Sherman eventually settled into a long career as a service station owner; pumping gas, checking oil, and changing tires. He worked tirelessly to support his family. He normally worked 12-hour days, six or seven days a week.
There are many happy memories of family picnics at a local lake, water fights in the yard, trips to Grandma Wood’s home and later her burial site, and Easter fun with his children and extended family. He also enjoyed card games, dominoes, and racing stock cars on the weekends.
Sherman married Doris Janice White in 1949 and had five children. Following a divorce in 1976, Sherman married Vivian Rees. He then moved his service station business to Garland, TX and continued working until his retirement. He and Vivian enjoyed traveling and family time. They remained together until her death in 1999. Rosalee Holmes was with him from 1999 until her death in 2022.
Sherman is survived by five children, Barbara Ann Brady, Sherman “Ray” Wood Jr. (Terry), Gloria Jean Baker (Don), and Donna Kay Pleake (Ron), and Brin Rees (Charlene), seventeen grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren and 2nd great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his 2nd wife, Vivian, his daughter, Lisa Gail Wood, his grandson Casey Ray Wood, his great-grandson Colton Ray Wood and sisters Virgie Lee Moser and Winnifred Pearl Hammonds.
While Sherman is gone from this earth, he will continue to live through his children and all who loved him.
What’s your fondest memory of Sherman?
What’s a lesson you learned from Sherman?
Share a story where Sherman's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Sherman you’ll never forget.
How did Sherman make you smile?
