Wesley Hood

1935 - 2024

Hood, Wesley

June 24, 1935 - March 21, 2024

Wesley D. Hood (Wes) was born at home in Greenacres, Washington on June 24, 1935, and died at home in Greensboro on March 21, 2024.

He is survived by his wife of over 5 decades, Rose, and their four children: Lelia (Russ) Savory, Van (Kim) Hood, Charles Hood, and Stephanie Gerringer; six beloved grandchildren: Wesley D. (Elizabeth) Hood, III, Tabitha Hood, Evan (Estefania) Hood, Emily Hood, Marlene Savory and Kinlin Gerringer; and three great-grandchildren: Connor Hood, Ethan Hood, and Sierra Wyatt. Wes was predeceased by his parents and his son Wesley D. Hood, Jr. He is also survived by his sister Elinor and his brother Bob (Judy). He has numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins that he also deeply loved. Wes was incredibly proud of his family.

Wes first left the Pacific Northwest when he enlisted in the Navy and served in the Korean War. As a veteran, the GI Bill gave him the opportunity to further his education in ways he never expected. A B.S. in Psychology from the University of Washington led to his first position at a high school, where he fell in love with teaching. He went on to obtain an M.A. in Counselor Education at the University of North Dakota and a doctorate in Psychology at Ball State University. His doctorate brought him south to North Carolina for a teaching position at Wake Forest University in the newly established Master's Degree in Counseling program. In 1969, he became one of the first NC state Licensed Psychologists. WFU was a wonderful experience for Wes because of his joy of teaching and the delight of making life-long friends. It is where he met and married Rose, the love of his life.

After WFU, Wes taught at the College of DuPage and Aurora College in Illinois and continued consulting with various mental health agencies. Upon returning to North Carolina, Wes & Rose established a private practice. Wes enjoyed serving as the psychologist for Greensboro's first Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, work he continued for 20 years. He served as the Rockingham County Mental Health Center Director of Child & Family Psychological Services for many years and continued consulting until age 84.

Wes wrote in his last wishes: "The single message I want to convey is my thanks to ALL my family & friends for the love, friendship, and meaningful 'connectedness' we have shared these years. You ALL have been and ARE beloved."

A Celebration of Life will be April 22, 2024, at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 2105 West Market Street, Greensboro, NC at 2 p.m. A livestream will be available via the church website.

Deep appreciation goes to Dr. Stacey Blyth, Dr. Claude Ragan, and AuthoraCare for their extraordinary assistance to Wes and the entire Hood Family.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Down Syndrome Network of Greater Greensboro, 515 College Road Suite 15, Greensboro, NC 27455; St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Greensboro, NC, or a charitable cause of your choice.