Ronald Dale Wood of Tulsa, Oklahoma was called home to the House of the Lord, Jesus Christ, following a long battle with prostate cancer on September 19, 2021.
Ronnie was the first born child of Dale and Vivian Wood on June 7, 1949 in Norman, Oklahoma. He was part of the massive Baby Boom Generation born following WWII. Ronnie was an exquisitely talented and well-known musician who began playing the piano at the young age of three. Ronnie was primarily self-taught and could pick-up and play any keyboard piece he heard, always adding his own variations and unique musical flair to the composition. He was so talented as a pianist that his mother wanted him to become a concert pianist, and was often referred to as Dr. Ronnie Wood. But after many years of piano lessons, reading music wasn't for him, for he could more easily play music by ear.
At the age of sixteen, Ronnie attempted to convince his father to purchase a muscle car for his birthday, which were popular in the sixties. His father was an insurance agent, and knew better than to let a young man drive a "hot rod", so they settled on Ronnie receiving his father's old six cylinder, three speed on the column, 1950 Chevy. Ronnie begrudeldy drove the Chevy until he graduated from Tulsa Edison High School in 1967. Disappointed that he couldn't purchase the car of his teenage dreams, he decided to use his money to buy an organ and started a band with fellow musicians from his High School, naming themselves The New Velvets. His father would later say, "Maybe I should have let him buy the car he wanted." Fifty years later, he would reunite the band for their 50th High School reunion entertainment.
Along with Ronnie's band, he was an active member in the Boston Avenue Church Choirs and Edison Chorus Choirs. He also sang and later played for the Tulsa Boys Choir. He continued to play and support himself with various local bands, including Rabbit and The Smoke House Band, until his late thirties. He and his bands traveled and performed for years around Tulsa and many other clubs across the country, until he started playing backup music for a local hypnotist at Tulsa's Captains Cabin.
When the hypnotist retired from performing, Ronnie purchased the Captain's Cabin and The Smokehouse Band became the performing act. With Ronnie's contributions, both The Smokehouse Band and the Captain's Cabin became successful local staples until the oil bust of the 1980s. Ronnie continued to play and perform occasionally because of his passion for music, but for stability, decided to set his sights on the family real estate business, where he acquired and managed rental properties. Many of his tenants became his friends, because he was much more than a landlord to them, building long term relationships.
It was during this time that he met the love of his life, his wife of 20-years, April Wood. Ronnie and April shared a love of socializing and entertaining family and friends at their lake house at Grand Lake, Oklahoma and could be found there most weekends. A love of the lake they learned from their parents. In his later years, Ronnie and April enjoyed traveling in their RV as well as the restoration and sale of RVs Ronnie procured. He passed on this same passion for travel to numerous family and friends, allowing them to feel the same thrill of the road that he experienced.
Ronnie took great joy in being with people and his joy of partying was legendary among family and friends. He loved being in the company of friends, but did not care for people fussing over him and his talent. His joy for reveling in others allowed them to naturally forget their cares and be drawn in by his humor and compassion. He loved practical jokes with his daughter, and would both try to one up each other.
Ronnie is preceded in death by his parents, Dale W. and Vivian A. Wood of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is survived by his loving wife, April and her children Chad and wife, Claire, and grandchild, Madilynn Knaack, of Norfolk, Virginia, Amber and husband, Adam Gilchrist, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. His daughter, Cheryl and husband, Jeremie Lee, and grandchildren, Brett and Logan Davis, of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Step daughter Natalie Oglesby Skalla of Tulsa, Oklahoma. His brothers, Don W. and wife, Tammy Wood, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Druce Wood of Grand Lake, Oklahoma. His sister Tyla and husband, Marcell Crawford, of Palm Coast, Florida.
The family is choosing to hold a private service. Nontheless, there will be a Celebration of Life / Reception on Friday, October 1st, 2021 from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. to remember and honor Ronnie's life in the Club Room at Stanleys Funeral Home. Services will be made available via livestream here on Ronnie's tribute page.https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/authorise.php?k=1632871419139441
The family requests in lieu of flowers that memorial donations be made to the following charities:
American Cancer Society, SPCA, and Little Kids Rock. The links can be found below: https://www.cancer.org/involved/donate.html https://www.spcai.org/donate https://www.littlekidsrock.org/support-us/donation/
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