Frederick Redding "Fred" Hood Jr.

Fred was born on October 14, 1928 in Oklahoma City to Frederick Redding Hood and Virginia Ford Hood. He was their first son and always took great pride in his Cherokee ancestry from both his mother's and father's sides of the family. He died at Hospice House in Bellingham, WA on February 27, 2011. Fred graduated from the University of Oklahoma and received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Following internship at the University of Michigan and service as a flight surgeon with the United States Air Force, he returned to the University of Pennsylvania to complete a residency in General Surgery. He went on sub-specialize in Thoracic Surgery. Having been badly burned as a child, Fred was interested in and empathetic to patients who suffered burns. This interest found an outlet in providing burn injury management and reconstructive surgery during the years of his practice in Anchorage, AK. Fred began his practice of surgery in Oklahoma City and then moved to Anchorage, AK in 1966. He retired from practice in the late 1990s. In 2003 he and his wife Janet relocated to Bellingham, WA, a place where he had long kept a sailboat and a community that they knew came close to replicating some of the wonders of sea, mountains and natural beauty of their beloved Alaska. Fred is survived by his wife Janet Sloan Johnston of Bellingham; children Frederick III (Linda) of Auburn, WA, Bill (Debbie) of Portland, OR, Sally Hood Jungreis (Michael) and Susan Hood Juarez both of Anchorage, AK, and step-daughter Sloan Johnston of Washington, D.C.; brother Richard Hood (Gail) of Oklahoma City and sister Carol Hood Pierce of Dickinson, TX and former wife Doris Mulky Hood of Seattle, WA. He is also survived by grandchildren Melinda Juarez Simpson and LCpl.William Daniel Juarez of Anchorage; Josh, Brandon and Jonathon Hood and Caedra Hood Spears of Portland; Laura, Max, Ben and Alexandra Jungreis of Anchorage. Profound gratitude for their loving care of Fred goes to Donald Berry, M.D., William Hall, M.D., all the staff at Hospice House and, particularly, Fred's Hospice nurse Hannah Sullivan and Hospice acupuncturist (even if this Western medicine guy was never able to understand her magic…..just be comforted by it!) Peg Murray. Memorials may be directed to Whatcom Hospice, attn: Hospice House, at 2800 Douglas Avenue, Bellingham, WA, 98225 or to KCTS Public Television, 401 Mercer St., Seattle, WA, 98109. At Fred's request, he will be cremated and his ashes disbursed in Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands where he spent many of his happiest hours. The family will gather this summer to fulfill his wishes and honor his memory.