Nellie Elizabeth Wood of Saratoga passed away during the evening of Feb. 17, 2017 at the Beehive Homes senior living facility in Herriman, Utah. She was 91 years old. Several family members were by her side at the time.
Nellie was born in Hanna Nov. 17, 1925 to Frank and Mae Bell Munz. She grew up on the Pass Creek Ranch where her parents owned and ran a dairy farm. She lived in the Platte Valley her entire life, attending grade school in Wolcott and later graduating from Saratoga High School as the salutatorian of the class of 1943. Nellie had one sibling, an older sister named Mary who died at birth in 1919; Nellie grew up as an only child.
During the first two years of high school she stayed with her cousins, the Mace family, during the week and went home on the weekends. When she was 16, Frank and Mae Bell moved into Saratoga to the Meeks ranch property on the North West side of town. Nellie lived the remainder of her life in that home.
After graduating high school, Nellie worked for the Saratoga State Bank for a short time before accepting a position as bookkeeper and payroll clerk for R.R. Crow & Company which ran the saw mill and an associated trucking company.
In July of 1948, Nellie lost her mother, Mae Bell, to breast cancer and in September of the same year her father, Frank, suffered a heart attack and died.
Nellie met her future husband George Wood while working at R.R. Crow & Co. where he was a truck driver. They were married at the St. Barnabas Episcopal Church on August 17th, 1952. They enjoyed fifty-six years of marriage to one another before his passing. During that time, they made their home in Saratoga on the same property that Nellie inherited from her parents. While living there, George added several rooms on to the existing home as well as building a garage.
After they were married, Nellie left the Crow Company and worked with George running their own company, Wood Electric. She also worked for the Town of Saratoga and continued working there after George took a job with Colorado Interstate Gas. Nellie worked as the Town Clerk-Treasurer, then as Treasurer, and finally as Assistant Treasurer during her career there, which spanned 28 years.
After retirement, Nellie continued gardening and raising chickens at home which were two of her longtime passions. She also enjoyed visiting with many friends during coffee hour.
Nellie was an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary since 1953 and served as President and Secretary-Treasurer along with several other chairmanships which supported the education of many Saratoga youth through the Auxiliary scholarship program. She recently received her 60 year pin.
Nellie is preceded in death by her parents, sister, Mary, and husband, George. She is survived by five children: Diana Galbraith of Saratoga, Wyoming; Kim Wood of Concord, California; Lynn Williamson of Bluffdale, Utah; Ralph Wood of Townsend, Delaware; and Paul Wood of Fort Collins, Colorado. Nellie is also survived by nine grandchildren: Krystale Williamson; Amber Sutton; Meagan Wood; Sandra Godfrey; Donna Wood; Hannah Wood; TJ Wood; Mara Wood; Samuel Wood; and two great grandchildren, David MacCharles III and Alister Godfrey.
A memorial service will be held at the Valley Chapel at the Saratoga Cemetery on March 11 at 1 p.m. A graveside service for immediate family will be held following the memorial. A gathering will be held at the American Legion Hall at 403 E. Bridge Street in Saratoga for friends and family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Nellie Wood to the American Legion Auxiliary Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 306, Saratoga, WY 82331.
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