Allen Wilton Wood, Jr.

Mr. Allen Wilton Wood, Jr., 87, went to his heavenly home on Tuesday, October 7, 2014. He died peacefully in his home surrounded by his loving family. A service celebrating his life will be held at First Baptist Church of Aberdeen on October 10 at 11AM. The family will receive guests in the church fellowship hall prior to the service at 10AM. The Rev. Mike Branscome and Rev. Zeb Moss will officiate. A burial service at Raeford Cemetery will be conducted at 1:30PM. Mr. Wood was born in the Rockfish community of his beloved Hoke County on July 6, 1927 to Allen W. Wood and Mary Kate Easterling Wood. He was predeceased in death by his brothers, Young McDonald Wood and Harold Craig Wood, a nephew, Joe Allen Monroe and a step grand-daughter, Brenna Marie Currie. Wilton graduated from Hoke High School and then served briefly in the United States Navy at the end of World War II. He returned home after the war and attended Presbyterian Junior College in Maxton, North Carolina and then went to work for the Bank of Raeford. In 1963 he entered the insurance business as an agent with National Old Line Insurance Company, now TransAmerica Life Insurance Company, out of Little Rock, Arkansas, and served with the company for 51 years. Wilton was a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Rockfish during his youth, and later joined First Baptist Church of Raeford with his wife Jeanne as a young married couple where he was an active member for 50 years. He was currently a member of First Baptist Church of Aberdeen, NC. Wilton was also involved in the Kiwanis Club of Raeford for many years, and was a member of the Hoke County Board of Education from 1961-1976. Wilton was predeceased by his school-teacher bride and wife of 48 years, Jeanne Craik Shiel Wood. They were married in her home town of Wilmington, NC on December 26, 1949 and made their home and life together in Raeford until her death on May 1, 1997. He was subsequently blessed with meeting another wonderful lady, Betty McGugan Currie of Red Springs and they began their married life on May 22, 1999 and settled in Moore County. His family circle of love grew even more as the Currie family embraced him as one of their own. His surviving family includes: his faithful wife, Betty McGugan Currie Wood of Pinehurst NC, daughter Jeanne Elizabeth (Beth) Wood Walters and her husband Stuart of Fayetteville NC, and sons Allen W. Wood III and partner Kenneth Wilkinson of Hickory, NC, David Shiel Wood and his wife Judy of Spartanburg, SC, and John Mark Wood and his wife Janet of Haw River, NC; stepsons Larry Eugene Currie and his wife Joann of Jamestown NC, Richard Keith Currie and his wife Becky of Red Springs, NC and stepdaughter Marcia Ann Currie of Greensboro, NC, his sister Julian Ann Wood Monroe of Raeford and his brother Marion McQuage Wood and his wife Virginia of Southern Pines, NC. Wilton's grandchildren, step grandchildren and their children were the joy of his life and they are: grandchildren Mark Corriher Wood, David Shiel Wood, Jr. and his wife Dr. Bernadette Wood, Anne Elizabeth Wood, John Wilton Wood, Leland Tracey Wood, Susan Elizabeth Walters Brown and her husband HM3 David Brown, Sarah Stuart Walters, Stephanie Suzanne Wood McNeely and her husband Bobby McNeely, Lauren Kimberly Wood and Melissa Morgan Wood. Step-grandchildren include Trevor Martin, Heather Gates, Alex Gates, Michael Andrew Currie and his wife Amanda, and Benjamin Neal Currie. He is also survived by numerous great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild, and extended family members including nieces and nephews in the Wood family: Don Wood, Jr. Becky Wood, Barry Wood, Todd Wood, Ronald Monroe and Deborah McLeese. Crumpler Funeral Home of Raeford is serving the family. Mr. Frank Crumpler is a life-long friend of Wilton. The family would like to express appreciation and thanks to everyone for their outpouring of love and concern during the past few weeks. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Aberdeen First Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 1066, Aberdeen, NC 28315.