James Edward Wood

Jim was born on August 20,1942, to Clarence and Laura Wood in St. Paul, Minnesota. At age five, his family moved west to Long Beach, CA, where he lived with his parents and four younger sisters Mary, Lynn, Robin and Lucy. After Jim graduated from Millikan High School in 1960, he earned his Associates in Business from Long Beach City College.

In 1962, Jim met Elaine Backus by the pool at their apartment complex in Buena Park. Jim and Elaine were married in the Catholic church one year later and created a loving family with four children, four grandsons and one great granddaughter. Jim was a wonderful father and Papa, attending all his children and grandchildren’s sporting events, music concerts, and academic celebrations.

As a young man, Jim began working in the mailroom at Earle M. Jorgensen Steel, kickstarting a 40 year-long career in the steel service center industry. He managed the Phoenix plant for many years before being promoted to the Dallas, Texas plant in 1990. In 2000, he retired and moved back to Phoenix to spend time with his children and grandchildren. In retirement, Jim enjoyed his time with Elaine traveling across the country in their RV. He also spent many summers in their Prescott Valley home escaping the Phoenix heat.

Jim’s adult life was a balance of work, family and self. He tinkered with and raced stock cars, enjoyed woodworking, candle making and fixing things around the house. He was always purchasing the latest “gizmo” to make life more efficient. He loved to golf and play tennis and pickleball. Jim was good at everything he did and wove a dry sense of humor into each activity and relationship.

Jim is survived by his wife, Elaine; his son, Jeff Wood, his daughters Shari Fisher, Julie Wood and Susan Hawthorne (husband Mike); his four grandsons Troy Hawthorne (wife Sandra), Tanner Hawthorne, Nate and Danny Fisher; and his great granddaughter Sofia Hawthorne.

Services will be held at Sunland Memorial Park (15826 N. Del Webb Blvd. in Sun City, AZ) on Friday, October 27, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Alzheimer’s Disease Research.