Thomas E. Wood

Thomas E. Wood 74, devoted husband, father and grandfather, respected attorney, great and generous friend, died peacefully at his home in Devon, PA, October 21, 2013, surrounded by his family, after an eight-month battle with pancreatic cancer. It was a graceful departure from a well-lived life. Tom Wood was a California boy who was endowed with wit and wisdom, loved surfing, "ate street food in Tijuana and lived to tell about it." He was born on April 20, 1939, in Los Angeles, CA, the only child of Louis Earl Wood and Youda Hays Wood. Through his father's vaudeville band, The California Collegians, he spent time with Henry Fonda, Fred MacMurray, Lucille Ball and his godmother, Harriet Nelson, of Ozzie and Harriet fame. As a boy, he often played "Cowboys and Indians" with David and Rickie Nelson. After graduating from The Harvard School for Boys in Studio City, CA, Tom ventured east to attend Amherst College (Class of '61) where he met his future bride, Sally Ann Shultz (Mt. Holyoke '61). Following her to Philadelphia, he adopted the East Coast as his home, while always maintaining his California cool. Upon graduation from The University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1966, he joined the Philadelphia law firm, Drinker, Biddle & Reath where he practiced corporate and securities law for over 40 years and was instrumental in opening and managing the firm's Berwyn office. Most recently, he was Of Counsel to the firm. Tom served on the board of Turner Investments, Inc., an investment advisory firm. He also served as Board Member and General Counsel for Vertex, Inc., a software company. He held the distinction of being the longest serving volunteer for Easttown Township (37 years) where he was Chairman of the Zoning Hearing Board. He was also a former trustee of The Baldwin School, Bryn Mawr, PA. Tom was a voracious reader, an insatiable ice cream eater and a gifted writer and poet. He loved to sail, hike and solve crossword puzzles, taking great pride in completing the Saturday New York Times puzzle in ink. Ever a gracious host and thoughtful listener, he had an appetite for lively conversation and mentored numerous young friends. In 2001, Tom and Sally built a summer home in Cushing, Maine, where they immersed themselves in the beauty of the coast and the activities of the community. Tom served on the board of The Maine Maritime Museum, Bath, ME, and co-chaired the board of The Apprenticeshop, an experiential boat building school in Rockland, ME. His legacy lives on in his wife of 50 years, Sally; his daughters, Julia W. DeVuono of Devon and Melissa W. Brewster of Seattle, WA; his sons-in-law, Jeff DeVuono and George Brewster; six grandchildren, Jack, Anna and Grace DeVuono, Quinton, Hadley and Davis Brewster; and his numerous loving family and friends. A memorial gathering will be held Saturday, November 23, 2013, 11:00 am, at the Main Line Unitarian Church in Devon, PA. In lieu of flowers, his family requests that donations be sent to The Maine Maritime Museum or The Apprenticeshop. Arrangements The Donohue Funeral Home, 366 W. Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, PA (610) 989-9600. Online condolences www.donohuefuneralhome.com