Louis Knack Wood, of Williamsburg, Michigan, passed away peacefully on September 6, 2024 surrounded by his family. He was born on February 6, 1924 in Detroit, Michigan, graduated from Detroit Mackenzie High School and General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan, and was married to the love of his life, Joyce Comstock for almost 67 years. He was a World War 2 veteran and served in the Navy Seabees on Midway Island.
Louis worked as a mechanical engineer for General Motors in Detroit and Willow Run for over 35 years. He and his family lived many years in Livonia, Michigan. When he retired, he and Joyce designed and built their dream home on Elk Lake in Williamsburg. There they happily welcomed family and friends to enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, and relaxing at the peaceful lake setting. They were faithful members of Presbyterian Church of Traverse City.
Louis and Joyce traveled the world together, and also enjoyed the U.S. national parks. Together they enjoyed golfing, cross country skiing, bridge/card games, music, theater performances, and dancing. Louis was a very good dancer, and he made each one of his dance partners feel like Ginger Rogers. Louis and Joyce were also members of the Buttons and Bows Square Dance Club in Traverse City. Louis particularly loved family visits to Mackinac Island, where he could still bicycle around the island at age 98. After he retired, he became proficient at oil painting and stained glass, and his family members treasure the many beautiful artworks he made for them.
Louis was a loving husband, generous, caring father and grandfather, and faithful friend. He lived to be 100, partially because he took care of himself and had a strong will and determination to do whatever he set out to accomplish. He was also a patient teacher. He taught almost all of his young relatives how to waterski, and he taught his children and grandchildren how to play many sports and games. He also taught them how to be kind and win/lose graciously. His grandchildren used to sit for hours and watch him carefully clean and filet all of the fish they caught each day. Louis had a sense of humor, and he was the first to volunteer to wear a crazy hat at a holiday party or put on a blinking nose for Halloween fun.
Louis is survived by his devoted children, Carolyn (Brian) Wyckhuys, Janice (Lance Hassan) Wood and Kathy Wood, his loving grandchildren Laura (David) Keast Godlewski, Alison (Andrew) Keast Tackett and Haila Hassan, and his dear great grandchildren, Jacob Engblom and Nicklaus Engblom. He is also survived by his devoted brother David J. Wood, brother in law, Donald Landis and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and loving friends. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Joyce, parents William A. Wood and Doris Wood, brother William A. (Temazene) Wood, Jr., and sister Roseann (Donald) Wood Landis.
On Saturday, November 9, 2024, the family will receive family and friends from 10:00 a.m. to noon at Pixley Funeral Home, 322 W University Dr, Rochester, MI 48307 with a service to follow. There will also be a brief service held in the memorial gardens at The Presbyterian Church of Traverse City, 701 Westminster St., Traverse City, MI 49686 at 2pm on Sunday, December 1, 2024.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in honor of Louis to the Macular Degeneration Association or to The Presbyterian Church of Traverse City.
