Memorial services for Jim R. Wood, 67, currently of Capitan, NM, will be held at 2:00 PM, Sat., Jan. 20, 2018 at Central Christian Church, 1528 S. Main Ave, in Portales with A. West Pape of Colorado Springs, CO, officiating, assisted by Don Thomas, Senior Pastor.
Jim R. Wood was born June 11, 1950 in Albany, GA to the home of Troy and Ruby (Cannon) Wood, and went to be with our Lord on Sun., Jan. 7, 2018 at the Lovelace Hospital in Albuquerque following a 5 year long illness. Jim had lived in Portales from the time he was ten years old until 2005, when he and his wife moved to Capitan to nearer his sister.
Jim had a passion for running in his younger years, and joined the Portales High School track team, where he won numerous ribbons and awards and currently holds a school record. After graduating from Portales High School in 1968, he attended Southern Nazarene University, in Bethany, OK for a short time. Jim served in the Army National Guard of New Mexico and in the Army Reserves from 1971 until 1977. He was honorably discharged with the rank of E6. He went on to enjoy a full career with the Portales Fire and Ambulance Service from 1976 until his retirement in 1999. He not only took pride in his career, but he truly relished the friends he made during his time of service.
As a secondary career, Jim owned and operated JRW Construction from 1990 until 2010. He graduated with an Associate of General Studies in 1991 from Eastern New Mexico University with an emphasis in Wildlife Management.
Jim met his wife, Shirley Grider at the Sands Restaurant. They were married Sept. 24, 1986 at Baca Campsite in Capitan, NM. Jim was an avid hunter who viewed hunting as both sport and also as an opportunity to further his knowledge about the land and the habitat. He did not hunt just for the sake of killing. For Jim, hunting was the finding and killing of the game, along with enjoying the wild surroundings, and the grand beauty of the outdoors. Jim shared his knowledge and passion for hunting and archery with his wife, Shirley, as well as his son, T. J. Wood and his daughter, J’Nae Hobbs.
He is survived by Shirley (Grider) Wood, his wife of 33 years; his son, Troy Joe “T. J.” and his wife, Judy (Richardson) Wood of Quemado, NM; his daughter, Tressa “J’Nae” Hobbs and her husband, John of Roswell, NM; a grandson, Tate Wood; two sisters, Susan Juanita Smith and her husband, Wayne of Capitan, NM and Leslie Joe McCollum of La Luz, NM; two nieces, Janiece (Phillip) Wall and Renee Smith; and a nephew Trampus McCollum; as well as many close friends. He was preceded in death by both of his parents, Troy and Ruby Wood.
