Leonard L. Wood
Leonard L. Wood, 83, of Maywood, was called home by his Lord on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at Hillcrest Nursing Home in Mc-Cook, surrounded by his family.
Leonard was born June 8, 1943, to Leonard LeRoy and Caroline (Patzelt) Wood in Maywood, Nebraska. He was raised in rural Maywood and worked on the family farm. He attended Bluff View Elementary and graduated from Maywood High School.
Leonard joined the United States Army in 1964 where he served as a tank gunner in the armored tank division. He was honorably discharged in 1967 and was very proud of his service to his country.
Returning home, not finding a job that entailed shooting a gun off a tank, he went to work driving a truck for the construction company building I-80 near Ogallala. He soon moved onto bigger trucks and longer halls over the years. He has driven to every state in the continental U.S. and parts of Canada. He took a break from trucking to farm and raised cattle. Even though he enjoyed farming very much, the road was calling him back. He retired from truck driving at the age of 73. In 2003, Leonard and his wife Michelle purchased the family farm where they made their home for the last 23 years.
Leonard loved his family deeply and especially cherished the time he spent with his grandchildren, including teaching them to shoot. He had a lifelong appreciation for classic cars, classic tractors, and firearms, and he never turned down a good prairie dog hunt. Over the years, Leonard also shared a special affection for his cats and dogs, who were always an important part of his life.
Dementia slowly took Leonard away from us over the years, changing so much of the man we knew and loved, long before the Lord finally called him home. While the disease may have taken pieces of Leonard from us, it could never take away the love, memories, and impact he left with his family and all who knew him.
Greeting Leonard in heaven are his parents Leonard Sr., Caroline, and Emerson Wood, who raised him after his father’s death in 1944; aunts, Sylvia (Wood) Houchin and Vivian (Wood) Gibbs; uncles, Lewis Patzelt, Lloyd, Quentin, Marion, Dale, Ivan, Ellis, and Wilbur Wood; father-in-law, Jim Brooks; and nephew, Rob McConville.
Left behind to cherish the good memories, his wife of 30 years, Michelle; son, Michael (Diana) Wood of Evans, Colorado; daughter, Jeanette (Dan Brauch) Wood of Berthoud, Colorado; stepson, Joe (Monique) Adams of Evans, Colorado; stepdaughter, Jamie (Charles) Scott of Council Bluffs, Iowa; grandchildren: Taylor Wood, Garrett Wood, Samuel Garcia, Emerald Garcia, Veronica Adams, Mikayla Bruntz, Alyssa Adams, and Eloise Scott. He is also survived by sisters, Carla (Jeff) Hill of Mt View Arkansas and Karen (Roger) Erickson of Grain Valley, Missouri; sisters-in-law Sheree (Rick Wenthold) Forgue of North Platte, Nebraska and Cindy (Bob) McConville of Indianola, Nebraska; mother-in-law, Lavera Brooks of McCook, Nebraska, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Cremation was chosen and memorial services are scheduled for 11:00 AM on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook. Immediately following the service, lunch and a celebration of life will be held at The Eagles Club in McCook. A private family burial will take place at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to McCook Humane Society. Online condolences may be left at herrmannfh. com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel of McCook.
