LESTER LEROY WOOD Jr.

1927 - 2017

LESTER LEROY WOOD, JR. L.L. "Les" Wood, Kansas City, MO passed away December 12, 2017. Les was born July 11, 1927 in St. Joseph, MO, to Lester L. Wood Sr. and Helen Boehm. Les graduated from Spring Hill (KS) High School in 1944 and immediately enlisted in the Merchant Marines during World War II. He was discharged after achieving the rank of lieutenant in 1947 and married his high school sweetheart Barbara Loop. Within months after their marriage Les was hired by TWA in Kansas City and for the next 42 years found himself at many stops with the airline. From Albuquerque for his first job assignment, it was on to Boulder City, NV where his first two boys were born. Then it was on to Las Vegas followed by stops in San Francisco, St. Louis, New York, Kansas City, back to San Francisco and New York before retiring in Kansas City. Les started work at TWA as a radio operator then made his way up the chain of command: ramp supervisor, then to the Assistant Station Manager then to Station Manager, followed by City Vice President, Regional Vice President and ultimately as Vice President of Airport operations for two additional years after his official retirement in 1989. While in Kansas City, Les served as the Chairman of the Kansas City Convention & Visitors Bureau during the mid-1970's. Les was known by many as "Mr. TWA", as he always promoted the airline and instilled loyalty in others by his firm and fair management of the people that worked for him. More importantly, Les was able later in life to appreciate that the God of the Bible's promise of life everlasting in a paradise earth was a hope to be soon realized. He learned that Revelation 21:3, 4 would come to fruition where it says that God "will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away." We long to see our father and friend yet again. Les was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Barbara; 2 sons, Charles Alexander & William Edward. Survivors include 2 sons, John (Andrea) Wood and Lee (Shelly) Wood; 4 grandchildren, Angela Dunn, Jamie Hankins, Erin Ryan and John Wood Jr.; 6 great grandchildren, Kaycee, Courtney, Rainey, Lyndsie, Camille, and Amber. Memorial service will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30, at White Chapel Funeral Home. Arr.: White Chapel Funeral Home, 6600 N. Antioch Rd, Gladstone, MO 64119 816-452-8419.