In Memoriam

Kathy Wood

1951-2008

Anita "Kathleen" Wood, loving wife, friend, sister and daughter passed away at home on August 20th. Kathy was born on February 26, 1951 in Escondido, CA. She is survived by her parents; Betty and Roger Shappee, sister and brother-in-law; Candace and Greg Parton, brother and sister-in-law; Curtis Shappee and Penny Babel and husband Leonard Wood. A fourth generation native of Escondido, Kathy attended schools there, graduating from Escondido HS in 1968 and entered UC, San Diego with honors. She graduated from UC, Riverside with a double major in Psychology & Linguistics. Kathy married Leonard Wood in Riverside, CA on July 21, 1973 and lived in the Southeast for most of the next 27 years. She sold professional television equipment in Atlanta, GA and moved to Phoenix in 1998 to be close to family. Kathy toured Ireland several times by bicycle with her husband, Len. They met through playing bagpipes and continued playing pipes throughout her life time. She was a co founder of the Savannah Celtic Pipe Band and played in bands in the Southeast, Mesa and Phoenix. She was a founder of the Phoenix Irish Festival. Kathy was co-founder of the Irish Arizona Project, editor of the Desert Shamrock and co-author of "The Irish in Arizona," to be published in February, 2009. Kathy had a heart full of love and will be missed by many.

Anita Kathleen Wood

Published in The Arizona Republic on 8/24/2008