Ted WOOD

TED WOOD Groundbreaking Canadian crime novelist. Born April 22, 1931, Shoreham, Great Britain. Died January 18, 2019, Manzanillo, Mexico. Author of 17 books. Ted Wood was the first Canadian crime writer to set his books in Canada rather than in English drawing rooms or on windswept heaths, paving the way for all those who followed. He had a love of words that started early: Ted was reading by the age of three, was obsessed with London Times cryptic crosswords and was determined to become a professional writer. Before immigrating to Canada in 1954, he served in the Royal Air Force on flying boats as electrical engineer. After arriving here, he worked as a police officer with the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force. Many of the stories Ted would go on to write would be informed by his time there. In fact, some Canadian critics considered Ted's style 'too American' as violence was sometimes part of the plot. In 1957, he left the force after landing a coveted copywriting job at an advertising agency. That was the beginning of a stellar career, and Ted's copywriting skills won him international awards. Over those years, he was creative director at such advertising agencies as Foster, Cockfield Brown and MacLaren. And he also turned his way with words to the theatre, co- writing with Delores Klayman the Christmas musical Mister Scrooge, which ran for three years at the former Crest Theatre in Toronto and for decades in amateur productions across North America. When he started writing his crime fiction, Canadian publishers rebuffed him, but in the 1970s Scribner's in New York and Collins in the UK found him an audience who loved his main character, Reid Bennett. Bennett worked alone as a police officer in fictional Murphy's Harbour (really Port Severn, ON) with only Sam, his German shepherd, by his side. His books, several of which he wrote under the pseudonym Jack Barnao, were eventually published in six languages. His work found fans as far away as Japan and Italy, and his books were in wide circulation in Canadian libraries. Ted's first book, Somebody Else's Summer (1973), a collection of short stories, was well received and won him a fan in Alice Munro and in the woman who would become his wife of 43 years, publicist Mary Lawson. His first crime novel, Dead in the Water (1983), was awarded Scribner's Best First Novel Award. Although a lifelong non-joiner, in 1982 Ted, Eric Wright and Howard Engel founded the Crime Writers of Canada. The national association eventually honoured him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Ted was also a very funny man. His humour columns were published monthly in Marketing Magazine and Air Canada's En Route magazine. And he dearly loved children and would create stories to entertain them. Ted Wood leaves second wife, Mary Lawson Wood; his children, Anne (Burlington), Hedy (Vancouver) and Ted (Toronto); and his stepchildren, Ben and Liza Lawson (Toronto) and Guy Lawson (Rhinebeck, NY). He will be lovingly remembered by 10 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, special young friends Anousne and Ponsie Vongprachanh (sponsored by Ted Wood and Friends in 1980), and Laura and Heather MacRae. Ted Wood was widely loved and admired as a fine gentleman and will be sorely missed by friends in Ajax, Whitby, Cobourg, Toronto as well as by many snowbirds in Mexico. A musical celebration of his life will take place in the spring and will star Johan Van Rossem singing Ted's favourite song, 'Take Me Home, Country Roads.' Online condolences may posted at legacy.com