Royce Eugene Wood

Royce Eugene Wood died on the evening of Tuesday, March 2, at his home on St. Simons Island under the care of Heartland Hospice after a battle of several months with aggressive cancer. A private service will be held at the Columbarium at Christ Church, Frederica on St. Simons Island where Covid restrictions will be observed.

Royce was born on May 13, 1934 in West Green, Georgia but grew up on St. Simons Island after his father found work helping to build the Coast Guard Station on East Beach. The family built a small house in the neighborhood of Old Demere Road near the home of his great-aunt Bertha Baker, who helped his parents raise Royce after her retirement from teaching students at Ballard School and the children of the employees at the Jekyll Island Club. He attended Sidney Lanier Elementary, St. Simons Elementary, Prep High School, and graduated from Glynn Academy in the class of 1952. He attended South Georgia College for two years before joining the United States Army where he served for three years as both battery clerk and radar operator for Battery A, 1st Missile Battalion (NIKE-Hercules), 71st Artillery, near La Plata, Maryland.

Royce married his high school sweetheart, Mary Evelyn (Bootie) Gowen at St. Simons Presbyterian Church in 1957 and returned with her and their baby daughter from Maryland to St. Simons Island in 1959 after his honorable discharge from the Army. For the next 37 years he worked as a forester in the Woods Division of Brunswick Pulp and Paper Company before retirement in 1996.

He was an Eagle Scout and an active member of Christ Church, Frederica where he was marked as "Christ's own forever" in Holy Baptism on June 12, 1938. He served the church as vestryman and as junior warden. He loved music of all varieties including sacred music, classical opera, Big Band, Dixieland jazz, soul, spiritual, rhythm and blues, gospel quartet, and soft rock. He enjoyed the sport of golf to the fullest, making many friends for life in the games they played together. His true happiness was playing golf with family and friends on the local courses of Sea Island Golf Club, Sea Palms Golf Club, Hampton Plantation, and, in days gone by, Brunswick Country Club. He enjoyed memorable trips with his wife Bootie to several European countries, on an African safari, to the islands of the Seychelles and Hawaii, the Dominican Republic, to parts of the United States, and Canada.

In addition to his wife Bootie, he is survived by two daughters, Evelyn Wood Walker and Laura Wood Cammon; his son, William David Wood; son-in-law, Richard Allen Walker; and daughter-in-law, Judy Clark Wood. Also surviving are grandchildren, Michelle Wood Hardin, Ashley Elizabeth Walker, Jennifer Leigh Walker, and Jeffery Young Cammon; granddaughter-in-law, Felicia Calhoun Cammon; and grandson-in-law, Johnathan Greer Hardin. His great-grandchildren are Christopher Cole Blaschke, Ella Wood Blaschke, Harrison Grey Hardin, and Perry Young Cammon. Several nieces, nephews, and cousins also survive. He was predeceased by his sisters Montez Wood Parsons and Billie Jo Wood Edwards, and his son-in-law Jeffery Paul Cammon.

The family deeply appreciates the service and kindness of the people of Heartland Hospice, We Care Home Care, Southeast Georgia Health System, Dr. Antonio Moran and staff, and Dr. Timothy Jamieson and staff.

Memorials are suggested for the Building Fund of Christ Church, Frederica, 6329 Frederica Road, St. Simons Island, GA 31522.

Edo Miller and Sons Funeral Home in Brunswick, GA is in charge of the arrangements.