Lewis John Wood III

L. John Wood (Lewis John Wood III), 95, of Indianapolis, passed away peacefully on January 27, 2026. Born July 1, 1930, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Lewis John Wood II and Nelle Brewer Wood, both of Indianapolis, John moved with his family to Indianapolis at age 12 and made it his lifelong home.

John graduated from Shortridge High School, Wesleyan University (Connecticut), and Harvard Law School. During law school he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Bremerhaven, Germany, from 1954–56 as a member of the port band welcoming arriving ships and officers. He traveled widely during those years and purchased a clarinet in Paris that he continued to play the rest of his life. He returned to Harvard and completed his law degree in 1957.

John clerked for the Indiana Supreme Court before joining Bamberger & Feibleman in 1965, focusing on small-corporation and bankruptcy matters. He also served part-time as an attorney for the Indiana Senate during the session that created Unigov, was selected to work on drafting the implementing ordinance, and was appointed by Mayor Richard Lugar as chairman of the newly formed Human Rights Commission, serving in that volunteer role from 1970-1976. From 1976 to 1983, he served as the attorney providing legal services to the new IPS school board through his firm, including work on the federal court desegregation lawsuit’s remedy phase.

Uninterested in retirement, at age 66 John entered a new chapter of his career, joining the legal office of the State of Indiana’s Family & Social Services Administration, and then serving as Deputy General Counsel of the Department of Child Services. He worked there with great satisfaction until 2017, retiring the day before his 87th birthday.

John met his wife of nearly 58 years, Patricia, as fellow clarinetists in the Indianapolis Philharmonic Orchestra. After raising their family, they enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and abroad until her passing in 2018. Together they hosted a number of internationals - whether student, immigrant, or teacher – who lived in their home, many of whom became like family.

Active in the community, John promoted voter registration in his precinct for many years, served as President of the Meridian- Kessler Neighborhood Association, held a long-standing position on the board of the Indiana ACLU, and represented the state on the national ACLU board from 1968-73 when the Vietnam War and related constitutional issues were a focus. He served as elder, deacon, and tenor in the choir at Fairview Presbyterian Church, where he was a member for 79 years.

His love of music also found its expression in playing clarinet in the Indianapolis Symphonic Band from its founding in 1957 until 2023, as well as in the Indianapolis Municipal Band and the New Horizons Band, retiring from the latter in 2025; for several years he played in all three. He held season tickets to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra from young adulthood throughout his life.

Active in the arts, in his community, and in civic betterment; a reader, a thinker, a musician, a lawyer; John was a man of wide interests who valued family, loyalty, and service to his community. He is survived by his children, Margaret Wood of Eden Prairie, MN, and Christopher Wood, MD (Rashella) of Newburgh; grandchildren Kate (Evan) Clemens, Rebekah (Salaiba) Parnell, Megan (John) Fell, Joshua (Lizzy) Wood, Josiah Wood, and Sarah Wood; and great grandchildren Aurora, Asteria, and Osiris Clemens, and Serenity Parnell. He was preceded in death by his wife Patricia and his brother David.

Visitation will be held Friday, February 6 from 5–7 p.m. at Feeney Hornak Keystone Mortuary, 2126 E. 71st Street. A funeral service will follow on Saturday, February 7, at 11 a.m. at Fairview Presbyterian Church, 4609 N. Capitol Avenue, with visitation one hour prior. Burial will be at Crown Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Fairview Presbyterian Church, Mid North Shepherd’s Center, Indianapolis Symphonic Band, Indianapolis Municipal Band, or New Horizons Band.