Eleanore M. Wood

Eleanore Frances Miles Wood, born November 7, 1928, died this July 12, 2025 in Florida after living a life full of adventure. She was born in a coal mining town in Pennsylvania called Shenandoah. After graduating from Shenandoah Catholic High School in 1946, she spread her wings and left the coal mining town for Pennsylvania State University, where she earned a B.A. in science. During her free time, she acted in the Penn State Players and served as a member of Theta Alpha Phi, an actors' fraternity. Eleanore became a certified medical technologist and was employed at the Philadelphia General Hospital. She met and married a student, Norris Philip Wood, who was studying Microbiology during this time. They started their married life at Texas A&M, where Norris had found his first job as a university professor after earning his Ph.D. They ended up settling in Kingston, a small university town in Rhode Island, where Eleanore worked as a research assistant in the Department of Resource Development at the University of Rhode Island.

Norris and Eleanore had two kids, Philip and Stephen, and, with them, traveled to every state in the country and all the provinces of Canada. Then, they explored Europe during her husband's two sabbaticals in Germany. Once the kids had grown up, they went on many adventures. They went to Russia, where they sailed down the Volga River and explored St. Petersburg. Explored the Nile River and the Greek Islands. Then, she went to Thailand, where her husband taught courses for a summer, then down to Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and India. When her husband, Norris, died, Eleanore realized that her hip and knees required surgery. As soon as Eleanore recovered, she continued her expeditions by first going down to the tip of Chile to see penguins. But there were no penguins to be seen that year! So, at age 80, she went on an expedition to Antarctica to finally see penguins. For most people, that would have been enough, but not Eleanore. Since she was a kid watching the old Tarzan movies, she had always wanted to go on a safari.

Now, at 81 years old, she was off to Africa with her oldest son to hunt and shoot elephants, rhinos, and other animals with her camera. She celebrated her 90th birthday in New York City with her family, attending the New York Metropolitan Opera and a Broadway show. If Eleanore had had the opportunity, we know that she would have been travelling to the Moon, Mars, or Venus over the weekend to learn about new cultures and the beauty of life! Eleanore was an active member of Christ the King Church in Kingston, Rhode Island. She was active in Seniors Helping Seniors and the Meals-on-Wheels program during her retirement. Eleanore was amazing and full of love. We'll always remember you.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, August 2, 2025 at 10 AM in Christ the King Church, 180 Old North Rd, Kingston, RI. Burial will follow in New Fernwood Cemetery, Kingston.