Anease B. Wood

November 27, 1932 – June 25, 2026

The life and times of Anease written by her loving sons.

Anease Darnella Bowman Wood, a devoted mother, wife, grandmother , great grandmother and servant of her savior, Jesus, peacefully entered her eternal rest on June 25, 2026, at the age of 93. Mom was a product of French/Canadian descendants. She was the most beautiful person I know. Mom was not fond of her given first name, so she went by her middle name Anease. Her siblings’ first names were Geraldine, Nelda and Kermit, which were interesting too. No one can blame them for going by Anease, Jerry, Nell and Kermit (how cool is the name Uncle Kermit, which stayed?).

Born on November 27, 1932, in Lecompte Louisiana, to Albert and Ira Bowman, Mom lived her early years with her loving family on a sugar refinery, where her dad was the foreman. She was the middle child of three siblings: Jerry, Nel and Kermit. The Cajun lifestyle of hard work, outdoor fun, spicy food and family defined a life rooted deeply in faith, grace, hard work and unconditional love of her family.

Mom had lots of common sense, work ethic and grit. I am positive she learned and inherited that from her dad Albert, a real working blacksmith, and her mom Ira, while living and growing up in a small sugar cane refinery town after the Depression. She literally grew up in the refinery’s supplied foreman’s residence. A big, very old beautiful white plantation looking house with squeaky wood floors, big yard with willow, fig and magnolia trees, old barn with a nearby muddy bayou in walking distance. As us kids, cousins included, this special place was adventurous, spooky, and smelled terrible. Sugar refineries produced steam and sulfur compounds out of their large smoking stacks. She also learned from her oldest sister, Jerry, our only living Aunt, who is still enjoying a full life at a young age of 95 years old. Aunt Jerry was no different than my two oldest brothers. They were wise and protective of their younger siblings, but of course they were teasers and supposably smarter. Mom had to be tough growing up in this wonderful, special, tough beautiful environment, which included willow switch disciplines. She was blessed to have hard-working parents and siblings that loved her and defined her character. Mom was 5’1 and played softball catcher in middle school. She always said she got the position because she was short. I believe it was because she was tough. After graduating Lecompte High school, a whopping 30 person graduation class, she went to a Catholic nursing school in New Orleans and enjoyed a long career as a caregiver. She also learned many lessons from her Nun teachers and very much enjoyed them, though she tried to get out of daily mass by stating “but I’m Baptist”. One thing she taught me personally was “just finish the job”. I still live by those words today, when I get tangled in the weeds. I’m not sure where Mom learned that important lesson, but I am eternally grateful for all the lessons our Mom taught us over the years.

She married her husband of over 65 years, Windell Wood, on March 5th, 1955. Dad was from West Texas and was fortunate enough to meet a beautiful Southern Belle, while stationed at Alexandria Air Force base. Mom was a stunning beauty on both the inside and outside. Dad got really lucky. Her three surviving sons Keith, David and Roger are proud to have a West Texas and Cajun pedigree mix. Mom was swept from the bayous of Louisiana to the plains of West Texas. She had no idea that she was going to be living with her in laws after marriage. Her dad, Albert, told her he would come “rescue her anytime” with a phone call in those early marriage years. She survived her in-law’s and loved them as her own parents. Three son’s later within a couple years, Mom had her hands full as a full time nurse, mother, wife and referee. Vacations were many trips back to Louisiana with all the kids to visit her large fun loving family with a stop in East Texas with the in-laws and Wood clan.

Back to my Mom’s toughness and grit. She never, ever complained about anything. Growing up, us kids we had everything and a wonderful life because of my Mom and Dad’s own sacrifice. We were in a terrible car accident while visiting her family in Lecompte, when I was eleven years old, which put Mom in a body cast for 3-4 months. Our Aunt Jerry and Uncle James took care of all of us after that Christmas accident and made us feel happy, blessed and normal during this traumatic event. They are so special to us, words are hard to describe. Mom broke her leg in three places and her arm in two places. She only worried about her family and the burden of all of us on her special sister, Jerry. The only complaint I remember growing up was some of the off cycle vacations in Colorado. I remember my Dad telling friends his mountain Jeep and motorcycle adventure stories, “I was on top of the world bouncing off rocks in God’s Country, but Anease was just on a bumpy road”. I disagree with Dad on this one. Mom had true grit to take care of all of us and taught us to get “get the job done” with grace and style despite all the bumpy roads.

Mom’s greatest joy was her family, whom she loved fiercely and covered in prayer daily. She leaves behind a rich legacy of faith that will continue to guide her loved ones for generations to come. While our hearts are heavy with her passing, we find comfort in the assurance of Scripture, knowing that she is now rejoicing in the presence of her Savior, hearing the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Her memory will be forever cherished by her loving sons, Keith, David, and Roger, along with an extended family and a community of friends who were blessed to know her. She is reunited in Heaven with those who passed before her. A very special thanks to my brother David and his wife Fay for taking great care of our Mother in her latter years. You David, like Jerry, is our special leader and teacher.

A celebration of Anease’s life and faith will be held on July 9th 2026 at 10am at Central Texas State Cemetery.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." – 2 Timothy 4:7

We love you Mom.