Michael Gray Wood

CORVALLIS - Michael Gray Wood, 67, of Corvallis, died on Monday, February 15th, 2010 at his home. He was born November 7th, 1942 in Huntington, NY, son of the late Eva Helen Goodrich and John Wesley Maggart. He was later adopted by his mother's second husband, Henry L. Wood.

Michael grew up in Huntington, Long Island, and attended Cornell University where he was a member of the fraternity Delta Upsilon, a varsity lacrosse player, and an active Barber Shop Quartet baritone. He was a platoon leader in the U.S. Marine Corp, stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Clemente, California. He received his MBA from the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University, married his sweetheart of eight years, Pamela Becker, in Huntington, NY and moved to the North Shore of Massachusetts to start his own business. His negotiating prowess became world renowned to international currency traders who viewed his market timing abilities with awe and respect.

He and Pam raised two upstanding children, Joshua Michael Wood and Samantha Elizabeth Wood [Goddess], in Massachusetts before moving out West to indulge a lifelong passion for photography and skiing. They moved to Snowmass, Colorado where he enjoyed an unprecedented win streak in chess, then to Park City, Utah where he discovered a small comet, and finally to Corvallis where they have resided for the last ten years.

Michael was a titan among men, seldom quick with anger but always quick with wit. He was an avid skier, a tennis player, an herbalist, a non-conformist, a cereal-bowl hider, an entrepreneur, a llama lover, a soul traveler, a motorcycle enthusiast, a story teller, a spoonerism devotee, a Beechcraft Bonanza pilot, and was active in the Montana/Wyoming chapter of Eckankar. He loved clever banter, conspiracy theories, concise pearls of wisdom, and debating the finer points of oil based lubricants.

A vast body of mechanical knowledge and experience made him excellent with his hands, but a big heart with a vast wingspan made him a pleasure to hug.

Michael is survived by his wife Pamela of Corvallis, MT, his son Joshua of Los Angeles, CA, his daughter Samantha, of Gloucester, MA, and his sister Shirley Maggart Collins of Easthampton, NY.

He will be missed.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to S.A.F.E. (Supporters of Abuse Free Environments) and mailed to S.A.F.E., P.O. BOX 534, Hamilton, MT 59840 or to Wellspring House via their web site (www.wellspringhouse.org), or mailed to Wellspring House, 302 Essex Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930.

We love you Dad. I love you Michael.