Richard Allen Wood, a third-generation Darien native and husband of the late Elizabeth Ann Wood, died peacefully on Wednesday, Aug. 3, at Stamford Hospital after a brief illness. He was 85.
Richard Wood, 85, died Aug. 3 after a brief illness.
Mr. Wood was born in Stamford on Sept. 16, 1931, the only child of Anne Peterson Wood and Stephen Louis Wood. Dick was a graduate of Darien High School, class of 1949.
He graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1956 with a degree in business administration. While at UConn, Dick was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and the friendships he made during those years lasted a lifetime.
Prior to his college graduation, Dick proudly served his country as a member of the United States Navy during the Korean War aboard the aircraft carrier USS Saipan.
He had a long career in commercial and residential construction with Olson-Wood Associates of Darien, working alongside his father, Stephen, for many years.
___________
— an obituary from Edward Lawrence Funeral Home
___________
Dick was a man of many talents and especially enjoyed projects around the house. He was active in various Darien civic organizations and business endeavors, including the Darien YMCA, the Darien Building Board of Appeals and Person-to-Person, a charity which provides basic goods and services to those in need.
Dick was predeceased by his wife of 54 years, Elizabeth Ann Wood in 2011. Theirs was a wonderful love story that began when their families arranged for Dick to walk Betty Ann to school when she was just in kindergarten and he was in third grade.
After some time spent living in other places, Betty Ann and Dick reconnected when they were in their teens and married in 1957. Together, Dick and Betty Ann enjoyed many years of family time spent boating, vacationing on Block Island and Sanibel Island, and caring for their many beloved pets. Their long and happy marriage was an inspiration to their children.
Dick is survived by his son, Richard Stephen Wood and his wife Susan of Darien, daughter Cynthia Ann and her husband John Boester of West Haven, and daughter Heather Elizabeth and her husband Daniel Gaccione of Groton. He will be dearly missed by his four grandchildren, Elizabeth and Tyler Gaccione and Stephen and Meghan Wood.
A private interment will be held at Spring Grove Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to two local charities that were important to him: Person-to-Person (1864 Boston Post Road, Darien, 06820), or the Darien Historical Society (45 Old Kings Hwy. N., Darien, 06820).