John Meyer Wood Jr.

A nationally recognized figure in investment-counseling, died of natural causes at Falmouth by the Sea in Falmouth, Maine. He was 83 years old. Born in New York City to Marion Peters Wood and John M. Wood Sr., he attended the Collegiate School and Harvard University. A member of the Porcelain Club, he enrolled in ROTC and joined the Navy where he served as an officer on the USS Sakatonchee (AOG-19, a Mettawee class gasoline tanker). Though the ship and crew were cited for three battle stars for service in the Pacific, John downplayed their role saying they were often overlooked as a target because the enemy "didn't want to waste their ammunition." After the war, John attended Harvard Business School and graduated at the top of his class. He married Virginia (Chris) Cabot and joined the investment firm of Standish Ayer and McKay as a security analyst. He became a partner in 1952 and in 1965 became president of the firm, moving to chairman of the board in 1978 wherein the firm's name was changed to Standish Ayer and Wood. He retired in 1989 shuttling between residences in Stowe, VT and Beaufort, SC. In addition to his duties at Standish, John served on numerous Boards including the New England Medical Center, Tufts University and as president of the Investment Council Association. He also participated in local town boards and politics, serving on the Medway Finance Committee and town Republican Party. John is fondly remembered as a strong leader and mentor to his colleagues. "He always gave us enough rope to make our own mistakes, but never enough to hang ourselves," recalls Ted Ladd, current Chairman at Standish. John had a deep love of the sea, especially the Maine coast and Penobscot Bay in particular. As a boy, he summered in Islesboro where his father, "the Captain" allowed John and his brother Clayton (Archie) free rein to sail the Bay in a various assortment of boats of questionable seaworthiness. John was also an accomplished woodworker; several of his earlier boats were handcrafted in his barn in Medway, MA. He raced them with passion at the Sherborn, MA Yacht Club on Farm Pond, the location where the family lived for many years after Medway. John is survived by his wife Chris, sister Wendy living in Chaplin, CT, son John (Jay) M. in Falmouth, ME, and daughters, Susan C. of Marion, MA, Dr. Amy P. of Georgetown, ME, Virginia (Whistle) C. of Groton and five grandchildren, Meghan, Christopher, Tory, Courtney, and Max scattered around the globe. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his memory to the charity of your choice. Plans for a memorial service are forth coming.