- Born on: September 2, 1939
- Departed on: April 30, 2025
- Resided in: Cedar Falls, IA
Paul Clare Wood
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Paul Clare Wood on April 30, 2025, at The Deery Suites in Cedar Falls, IA. Paul was born on September 2, 1939, in Council Hill, Oklahoma, the son of Eugene and Melva (Clare) Wood. His early years were spent in Council Hill until his family relocated to Moline, Illinois, where his sister Jacque was born on Paul’s ninth birthday. He was in the Moline Boys’ Choir and enjoyed visiting the family farm in Oklahoma during summer.
Paul served in the United States Army during the 1960s, showcasing his commitment to service and community. Following his military service, he pursued higher education, earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois, where he became an avid alumnus and a passionate Illini fan. He married Gayle (Tegner) Wood on June 24, 1972. They had two daughters, Karen and Deb, and one beloved granddaughter, Hadley. Paul and Gayle moved from Illinois to Waterloo, Iowa in 1977. Paul embarked on a successful career as a Senior Mechanical Engineer at John Deere, where he dedicated over 20 years of his life. He was a collector of John Deere paraphernalia and would often be seen wearing John Deere or Illini gear.
Paul loved the game of golf and the friends he spent time with golfing, especially at the former Byrnes Golf course. He and his good friend Scott Sergeant created a golf newsletter called The Chip Shot that they ran for a few years in the 1980s. He enjoyed family vacations, possibly enjoying the planning as much- or more- than the vacations themselves. Later in life, he enjoyed using his engineering skills to complete almost every set in the Architecture Lego line. More recently, he enjoyed telling Dad jokes to family and staff at Deery Suites. Even until his last weeks, the sight of his granddaughter Hadley would cause him to light up with pride.
Paul is survived by his wife, Gayle; daughters Karen (Wood) Grothe and Deb Wood (Jeff Bradley); granddaughter Hadley Grothe; sister, Jacque (Wood) Cook; three nieces and one nephew. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother-in-law Peter Cook, sister-in-law Jeanine (Tegner) Hayes and brother-in-law Emery Hayes.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family kindly requests that you consider donating to support causes close to Paul’s heart: First Tee, which promotes youth development through golf (http://firsttee.org/donate), or the Cedar Valley Food Bank, dedicated to alleviating hunger (https://neifb.org/get-involved/donate).
To honor Paul's wishes, there will not be any formal service. Instead, we invite all who knew him to remember him with a heartfelt "excellent pairing" of Chardonnay and fried pickles, one of his favorite indulgences. The family would like to extend our appreciation to the staff at Deery Suites during these past several months. We hope the course is green and you are hitting holes-in-one up there, Dad.
Paul served in the United States Army during the 1960s, showcasing his commitment to service and community. Following his military service, he pursued higher education, earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois, where he became an avid alumnus and a passionate Illini fan. He married Gayle (Tegner) Wood on June 24, 1972. They had two daughters, Karen and Deb, and one beloved granddaughter, Hadley. Paul and Gayle moved from Illinois to Waterloo, Iowa in 1977. Paul embarked on a successful career as a Senior Mechanical Engineer at John Deere, where he dedicated over 20 years of his life. He was a collector of John Deere paraphernalia and would often be seen wearing John Deere or Illini gear.
Paul loved the game of golf and the friends he spent time with golfing, especially at the former Byrnes Golf course. He and his good friend Scott Sergeant created a golf newsletter called The Chip Shot that they ran for a few years in the 1980s. He enjoyed family vacations, possibly enjoying the planning as much- or more- than the vacations themselves. Later in life, he enjoyed using his engineering skills to complete almost every set in the Architecture Lego line. More recently, he enjoyed telling Dad jokes to family and staff at Deery Suites. Even until his last weeks, the sight of his granddaughter Hadley would cause him to light up with pride.
Paul is survived by his wife, Gayle; daughters Karen (Wood) Grothe and Deb Wood (Jeff Bradley); granddaughter Hadley Grothe; sister, Jacque (Wood) Cook; three nieces and one nephew. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother-in-law Peter Cook, sister-in-law Jeanine (Tegner) Hayes and brother-in-law Emery Hayes.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family kindly requests that you consider donating to support causes close to Paul’s heart: First Tee, which promotes youth development through golf (http://firsttee.org/donate), or the Cedar Valley Food Bank, dedicated to alleviating hunger (https://neifb.org/get-involved/donate).
To honor Paul's wishes, there will not be any formal service. Instead, we invite all who knew him to remember him with a heartfelt "excellent pairing" of Chardonnay and fried pickles, one of his favorite indulgences. The family would like to extend our appreciation to the staff at Deery Suites during these past several months. We hope the course is green and you are hitting holes-in-one up there, Dad.
