Gladys Gardner Wood

Funeral services for Gladys Gardner Wood, 90, of 591 North Mattie Ave., Sycamore will be held Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 11:00 A.M. at the Bethel Baptist Church with burial to follow in the Bethel Cemetery. Mrs. Wood died Sunday at her residence following an extended illness.

Married for almost 61 years until the death of her beloved husband Howell Wood in 1999, she was born on a farm in Thomas County, Georgia, near Coolidge as the youngest of 11 children and was the daughter of the late Zollie Coffer & Lizzie Louvenia Braddy Garnder.She loved her home and the life on the farm and was a major contributor to the success of the family farm that she and her husband farmed near Sycamore, Georgia, since 1949. She was a faithful member of Bethel Baptist Church for most of her married life and was a member of the Lydia Sunday School Class. Her children attribute much of their drive and determination that have made them successful in their professional lives to the lessons learned from their mother. She worked in the fields and in the home in order to make her contributions to the family and to the success of the farm business. Her home was the gathering point for members of her family as nieces and nephews stopped by to visit and for members of the community as they came by to check on her and to stop for a visit as well. She became “Aunt Gladys” to sons and daughters of friends, then to grandsons and granddaughters of the same friends and then to their children. It was often remarked that it was amazing how many nieces and nephews she had but they were the ones who had “adopted” her as their “Aunt Gladys”.

Mrs. Wood is survived by her children, Bill Wood, Portsmouth, Virginia, Louvenia Graham, Hahira, Ga., Helen Copelan, Smyrna, Ga.. and Kaye Lunsford, Jacksonville, Florida. She is also survived by six grandchildren, six great grandchildren, and one sister, Louise Sinclair, Pavo, Ga.

In lieu of flowers, for those who wish please make donations to Hospice of Tiftarea, Bethel Baptist Church, or the American Cancer Society.

The family will receive friends Tuesday from 5:00-7:00 P.M. at Perry Funeral Chapel.