Patricia Renee Wood

Patricia Renee (Havnaer) Wood passed away peacefully on September 2, 2017 in Bountiful, Utah. Pat was born on April 27, 1932 in Lincolnton, NC to Lacey and Ruby (McGinnis) Havnaer and was an only child. She married Lester Everett Wood, Jr. on February 17, 1951. Les preceded her in death in 2009. She is survived by her two children, Michael D. Wood of Spanish Fork, UT (Donna Hoffmann) and Jennifer P. Wilkinson (Ray Hill) as well as 10 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

As a young child, Pat lived for a short time in Baltimore, MD with her parents while her father worked in the shipyards during WWII. After graduating high school, she attended Catawba College in Salisbury, NC where she met and married Les. Pat and her family later moved to Oklahoma and then to Tucson, AZ where her husband taught math at Catalina High School. She loved Tucson and often recalled the beautiful Arizona sunsets. She and her family moved back to North Carolina in the early 1960s. After moving back to NC, Pat graduated from Lenoir Rhyne College in Hickory, NC with a teaching degree and taught elementary school for a number of years at Sweetwater Elementary School in Hickory, NC. She loved the children she taught and was a lifelong advocate of reading and education. She also loved to play the piano and sing, and she and Les shared a love of beautiful music that they passed on to their children. Pat and Les moved to Utah in the early 2000s to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

In 1965, after moving back to NC, Pat and her family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Pat was a faithful member and a spiritual woman, and she served in numerous church callings and loved her Savior and the church. It was OFTEN said of Pat that no one ever heard her speak a negative word about anyone in her life. She was, and remains, a genuine Christ-like inspiration to all who knew her in this life. Proverbs 31:10 says, “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” Pat truly was priceless. She will be missed by all who knew her, like the sun going behind the clouds, but she has gone on to the loving arms of her Savior and departed family and friends.

A viewing will be held at 12:30-1:30 pm Saturday, September 9, 2017, at the LDS chapel located at 2168 South 140 West, Orem, UT 84058. The viewing will be followed by a graveside service at 2:00 pm at Orem City Cemetery. A family memorial service will be held in October. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to your local elementary school in her name. Online guestbook available at www.russonmortuary.com.