John H. Wood

John Harrell Wood, 64, passed away at his Alpharetta, Georgia, home on December 24, 2024 surrounded by his family. John was born in Atlanta, Georgia to Raymond Sanderlin Wood Jr. and Joyce Harrell Wood. He was raised in Sandy Springs, Georgia and graduated from Riverwood High School. Later, he earned a degree in Electronics from DeVry University and studied Mechanical Engineering at Southern Polytechnic State University. He directed his passion for electronics into a 41-year career with Milner Document Products.

John was a beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend. A humble servant of God, he will be remembered as a hardworking and dedicated family man who generously gave his time, energy and support to his family and friends. We remember his insatiable curiosity for life, his unmatched attention to detail, and his endless enthusiasm for sharing his remarkable knowledge base. His family and friends will never forget his witty sense of humor and contagious laughter.

His love of nature led him to hike, camp, and spelunk in his youth. John was a compassionate rescuer of many lucky dogs. A master landscaper and gardener who could identify any plant or flower at a glance. His keen eye led him to become a proficient bird watcher and a passionate astronomer. John’s love of fishing led him to become a skilled fly fisherman, crafting an impressive collection of his own hand-tied flies. He was also a very skilled chef who enjoyed cooking for family and friends.

John was an accomplished athlete throughout his life: a budding cyclist in his teens, a passionate race car driver in his twenties, coach and competitor of his teenage boys in his thirties, an avid golfer in his forties, and he returned to his passion of cycling in his fifties and sixties. He was known and loved by many in the Alpharetta cycling community, where he was a regular on the challenging weekly group rides with the Whitetail and Webb Bridge cycling clubs. John was often found on the winners podium at competitive races across the state.

John was a true craftsman who could fix anything. His love for automobiles fueled a lifetime of building, tinkering, and maintaining all of his cars. Most impressive was the 1971 Datsun 510 GT4 class race car that he built from scratch and raced across the Southeast in the SCCA. He was a skilled woodworker and metal worker. He fully restored his father’s 1956 wooden Chris-Craft Cavalier, which the family regularly enjoyed on many North Georgia lakes. In addition, he built and flew radio-controlled sailplanes for many years. His garage was his sanctuary, and it was there he found communion with God while working on projects with unparalleled precision.

John is survived by his wife of 42 years, Diane Draper Wood, Alpharetta, Georgia; sons Brandon Wood, Melbourne Beach, Florida and Payton Wood, Alpharetta, Georgia; father Raymond Wood and wife Jill Wood, Alpharetta, Georgia; mother Joyce Wood, Marietta, Georgia; brother Wiliam Varn, St. Simons Island, Georgia; sister Sarah (Sally) Wood, Roswell, Georgia; aunt Sennie Harrell, Sandy Springs, Georgia; cousin Justin Harrell, and wife Freya, Amsterdam, Netherlands, and children; cousin Sennie Clark, Marietta, Georgia, and children; brother-in-law George Draper and wife Elizabeth, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; brother-in-law Charles Draper, Kissimmee, Florida; brother-in-law William Barnard, Milford, Delaware and children, brother-in-law Tom Barnard, Lewes, Delaware and son, brother-in-law J.D. Barnard, Milford, Delaware; nephew William Varn, St Simons Island, Georgia; niece Katie King and husband Carter, Atlanta, Georgia, and children; niece Samantha Teelak and husband Kevin, Buffalo, New York, and children; niece Whitney Edwards and husband Jake, Raleigh, North Carolina, and children; Kendal Draper, Raleigh, North Carolina.

He is preceded in death by his mother-in-law Eleanor Rau, Milford, Delaware; father-in-law George Draper, Kissimmee, Florida; sister-in-law Beth Varn, St. Simons Island, Georgia; sister-in-law Carol Draper, Kissimmee, Florida; nephew Ryan Draper, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

A memorial service will be held at Birmingham United Methodist Church in Milton, Georgia on Saturday, February 1st at 2pm. The service will be livestreamed. Visitation with family after service in reception hall. Light refreshments will be served.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Winship Cancer Institute of Emory, Van Purser Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project, North Georgia Humane Society, or Muscular Dystrophy Association.