James Robert "Jimmy" Wood

"James Robert "Jimmy" Wood was born on September 19, 1950 in Evansville, Indiana and died August 17, 2019. He was athletic and attended Byrd High School in Shreveport, La. where he was a football, baseball and track star, as All District and/or All State in all three sports. The St. Louis Cardinals drafted him out of high school, but he chose to attend college at LSU. He was brilliant with an incomparable memory and received a B.A. in General Studies, mostly because he had taken all of the courses offered by the University in everything from History to Kinesiology. He was charming and spent his life working with people in numerous industries as a landman, salesman, teacher, coach - anything that let him use his gift for storytelling, charm and wit. He usually owned his own businesses or was an independent contractor so that nothing could interfere with time with his friends or watching a Yankees baseball game. He was competitive and loved games. He was a great player and fan: poker, bridge, softball, and had once been nationally ranked in Scrabble (yes, there's a ranking for Scrabble players). He was a fierce competitor, who hated losing at Risk so much, he took the game outside and lit it on fire. Twice. He loved all music. Live music, music festivals, listening rooms, turn-tables, CDs, mixtapes in every genre. He loved teaching people about music, listening to music and making CDs for his friends and new acquaintances. There are few people he ever met who do not own at least one Jimi Wood CD (the name he used the label most of his vinyl after the death of Jimi Hendrix). Jimmy loved life. To paraphrase Willie Dixon: "He lived the life he loved, and he loved the life he lived." He will be missed by all who loved him. He is survived by his former wife, Sally Scott Lyons Wood, his only child Stafford Wood, his grandchildren Quinn Elizabeth and Steven Nicholas Kendall, his mother Elizabeth Rosella (Rosie) Wood, little brother Thomas William (Tom) Wood and sister-in-law Cynthia George (Cindy) of Shreveport, his big sister Donna Jean and brother in law Larry Lee Snell of Gulfport, nephews and wives James Jefferson (Jeff) Snell (Sheri Jean Thompson) and William Nicholas (Nik) Snell (Anne Marie Buchta). The Lyons family also mourns his death. Sally's siblings and spouses include: Susybelle Lyons Gosslee, Stafford Lyons, wife of Henry P. Offermann, Charlton Havard Lyons, III, husband of Dianne Lewis Lyons, Laurie Wilkinson Lyons, wife of Henry C. Walker, and Marian Lyons McGoldrick, wife of Bruce M. McGoldrick. His nine Lyons nieces and nephews and spouses are: M. Scott Gosslee (Susan), Susybelle Gosslee, Charlton Havard Lyons, IV (Nellie), Peter Lyons (Michael Maloney), Alden Lyons Murphy, Lewis W. Lyons (Carly), Parker H. Lyons (Jess), Micheal Ryan Parks and Alston Lyons Walker (Lauren). He was proceeded in death by his father James William Wood, in-laws Charlton Havard Lyons, Jr. and Susybelle Wilkinson Lyons, and nephew John Gosslee. He was also proceeded in death by all of the prophets including Otis, Lennon, Jimi, Janis, Aretha, Kurt Cobain and David Bowie. Please embrace his generous spirit and make a donation to any worthy cause in his name. We suggest the Louisiana Parole Project, P.O. Box 2029, Baton Rouge, LA 70821 where the mercy and forgiveness that Jimmy believed in came to life. Or 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge, 2050 N Foster Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, where a better future is being created for our city. Visitation will be held at Rabenhorst Downtown, 825 Government Street, Baton Rouge, LA from 5-8 pm Tuesday. The funeral will be Wednesday morning at 10:30 at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, 445 Marquette Street. A celebration of his life is being planned for his upcoming birthday on September 19 with details to be announced at a later time.