Phyllis Jean Wood

Phyllis Jean Wood Cleveland born to Wallace and Myrtle Larson of Tacoma on Oct. 19, 1923 died peacefully Sept. 13, 2016. She is survived by her beloved husband of 33 years Robert Cleveland. As a young child her curiosity and intense interest in the natural world led her father to call her “the little professor”. She showed an early interest in art and began a life-long passion for drawing.

Phyllis saw beauty all around her and rendered it in her drawings and paintings. She made and kept countless friends around the world. She loved a good party, impressionist paintings, a game of tennis or bridge, swimming at her home on Hood Canal, traveling with her husband and being with her family.

She graduated from Stadium H.S. and the University of Washington with a graduate Fellowship in Biology and Art and stayed on to attend graduate school in zoology. During WWII she volunteered for the American Red Cross. She married Paul Wood and settled in Montlake with their four children. When her children were young summers were spent on the shores of Puget Sound.

She became a Medical Illustrator and worked at the UW Medical School and Primate Center for 25 years. Over her long career she made significant contributions to her field. She mentored and advocated for many women to become illustrators. Over several years she worked to document with drawings all of the primates at the Regional Primate Center. Her book, Scientific Illustration first published in 1979, remains the definitive book on the subject and continues to be used worldwide. She established the Scientific Illustration program at the UW Art Dept. and taught as an Adjunct Professor for ten years. She also coauthored several surgical textbooks and illustrated many medical books and lectures. When the Medic One program for King County began in 1976, she created all the graphics used to teach medical procedures to the EMTs. After retiring from the UW she started Phyllis Wood Associates where for 15 years she illustrated medical textbooks and created exhibits for jury trials. She taught classes at the Seattle Art Museum, the U of Cal. and gave talks around the world.

She leaves her four children: Jeffrey, Wallace, Wende, and Anderson Wood. She also leaves step-daughters: Christine, Kathryn, and ME, and her thirteen grandchildren. Her first husband, Paul Crocker Wood, preceded her in death.

She was a Fellow and board officer of the Assn. of Medical Illustrators; Founder, Guild of Natural Science Illustrators NW, Alpha Gamma Delta sorority; 20-year board member Henry Art Gallery; Visual Arts Advisory Board, UW.

We will all miss this magnificent and brilliant woman who followed her many passions during her big and wonderful life. We will never forget you Phyllis.

For Memorial information contact [email protected]