Marguerite "Rita" Wood

1921 - 2009

Marguerite Hughes Wood, "Rita" to those who knew and loved her, passed away on Aug. 20, 2009, in Caldwell.
She was born Sept. 25, 1921, in Mesquite, Nev., the second child and oldest daughter of William Lamond Hughes and Lenna Grace Bowler Hughes. Her childhood days were spent on the Lone Star Ranch just across the Arizona line with her brothers and sisters and many cousins. Rita had many fond memories of family outings and celebrations.
In 1937, she met the love of her life, Fred Wood, in Hawthorne, Nev., where he was working at the tungsten mine near Rawhide with her uncle. After a year of courtship, they were married in St. George, Utah, on Sept. 14, 1938. The couple lived with her family on the ranch until 1940 when they moved to Hawthorne where Fred worked at the Naval Base.
In February 1941, he was called to active duty in the Army, stationed in Washington, D.C. Rita joined him in May of that year. She completed her beauty operator's training there and worked in a salon until November 1942 when Fred was called to overseas duty. She returned to Mesquite to live with her family and worked in a salon in Las Vegas and the Naval Base in Hawthorne. In early 1945 she returned to Washington, D.C., for Fred's long-awaited arrival home from overseas duty in the CBI theatre.
The couple, together with their oldest child "Ricky," moved from Washington, D.C., back to Mesquite in 1946, where they farmed with family. Jeff was born while they were there. In December 1948, the couple lost most of their worldly possessions in an early morning house fire. They decided to move to Idaho and in the spring of 1949 they moved to Payette where Sheila was born.
They rented acreage and farmed near Adrian. Barry, Sharon and Sam were born during that time. In January 1956 they purchased a farm outside Homedale where they farmed for many years and resided until 2005.
Fred and Rita raised and educated their six children and were greatly involved in raising their 13 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Family meant everything to both of them. They spent many hours fishing and camping in the Owyhee Desert with family and friends.
Rita was a 46-year member of Silver Star Chapter #83 OES, Homedale, where she served as Worthy Matron for four terms; a member of Iras Temple #40, Daughters of the Nile; a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and a lifelong member of the Mormon Church where she did church work for several years in the scouting program. She was a much-loved and respected daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend.
Survivors include her aunts – Louise Leavitt of Homedale, Jackie Buck of Las Vegas and Nina Tiller of Hawthorne; brother Willard Hughes, Las Vegas, sisters Betty Rasco, Las Vegas, Fern Hunt, Bountiful, Utah and Nancy Nelson, St. George, Utah; her children Fred Wood III (Amy), Burley; Sharon Nuerenberg Wood (Jeff), Dade City, Fla.; Sheila Eismann (Dan), Eagle; Barry Wood (Karen), Gooding; Sharon Backus (Lynn), Etna, Wyo., and Samantha Wood (Dewey Getchell), Pacifica, Calif.; 13 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren and hundreds of cousins, nieces, and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers George, Fent, Jerry and Billy Hughes and sister, Allene Jones; her husband Fred Wood Jr. and son, Jeff Wood.
In the twilight of her life Rita was cared for by the wonderful staff at Autumn Wind in Caldwell.
Donations may be made to the American Heart Association.
Viewing will be held for Rita at Flahiff Funeral Home in Homedale from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, at the funeral home. Burial will follow at the Wilder Cemetery.