Hugh Wood

Hugh Kelleher Wood NORFOLK - Hugh Kelleher "Kelly" Wood, 66, died May 2, 2010 at his home in Norfolk surrounded by his devoted family. The cause was esophageal cancer which he had battled without complaint for two years. Kelly was born Oct. 6, 1943 in Florida where his father, Lt. Cmdr. Hugh Wood Jr. was stationed as a naval aviator in World War II. His mother was the late Ann Stran McCurley Wood Watson. At his father's death in 1950, he moved to Virginia Beach where he grew up at the North End. He later became the stepson of the late J. Powell Watson Jr. Kelly attended Norfolk Academy and graduated from Virginia Episcopal School in 1961. He obtained a B.A. in philosophy in 1966 as well as a B.C.E. (civil engineering) in 1968 from the University of Virginia, where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He also earned an M.B.A. in 1973 from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Kelly was a licensed professional engineer in numerous states. As an engineering student, he worked on the construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. After graduation, he was employed as engineer constructing the second span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge from Annapolis to the Eastern Shore. Kelly spent much of the 1970s working in Philadelphia and other locations in the Northeast doing specialized foundation work on large projects. In 1980, he moved to Norfolk where he worked for a number of construction firms and MMM Design Group. He joined the Naval Facilities Engineering Command in 1985 from which he retired in January 2010. Kelly served his profession as president of the Norfolk Branch of American Society of Engineers and was a life member of that organization. He also served as president of the Engineers Club of Hampton Roads. Kelly also served his community as a coach and commissioner of West Ghent Youth Soccer and as president of the West Ghent Civic League. Kelly was a member of Christ and St. Luke's Church where he was on the Vestry and Junior Warden. For the past decade he devoted his energies to the resettlement and loving support of Sudanese refugees, the so-called "Lost Boys." Kelly enjoyed playing basketball at the Norfolk YMCA into his 60s as well as volleyball at Mallory Country Club. He traveled widely and seized every opportunity to take a swim, no matter the water temperature. Kelly was especially thrilled to go surfing with his brothers. He is survived by his wife of almost 39 years, Joyce Jackson Wood and three adored daughters Dr. Virginia Morgan Wood Sheikh (Jamshid) of Olney, Md., Hannah Creighton Wood of Washington, D.C., and Frances Kelleher Wood of Somerville, Mass.; and two grandchildren, Jamil Wood Sheikh and Yasmin Kelly Sheikh. He also leaves his brothers, Michael McCurley Wood (Debi) and Timothy Creighton Wood; his stepsister, Bonnie Watson Adams (David), all of Virginia Beach; as well as many cherished nieces and nephews; and his brother and sister-in-law, Bart and Lorraine Jackson of Cranbury, N.J. A memorial service will be held at Christ and St. Luke's Church, Norfolk, on Thursday, May 6, at 12:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Kelly's name to Episcopal Relief and Development - Haitian Relief www.er-d.org or to Outreach Africa: Lost Boys Foundation www.lostboysus.org/. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts., Norfolk Chapel, is handling arrangements.