Dr. Oscar L. Wood Dies in Kansas
Prominent Baptist was once Utica Pastor
Dr. Oscar L Wood, 82, retired Baptist
minister and a resident of Newton, Kans since 1941, died
unexpectantly at his home last Wednesday morning.
Dr. Wood, who formerly resided at
Utica, when pastor of the church there, died sometime during the
night and was found about 8 o'clock by his wife. Death apparently
resulted from a heart attack. He had been in the yard Tuesday
afternoon and had not complained of ill health.
A pioneer minister, Dr. Wood was
prominent in Baptist church circles in Kansas and Missouri, where he
spent his youth. He was born Jan. 25, 1871 at Earlysville, Va., and
moved with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Wood to LaMonte, Mo., when
he was six years old.
After starting his career in the
ministry, Dr. Wood took academic training at William Jewell college,
graduating with the class of 1901, and later received a Ph. D degree
at Temple university in Philadelphia. He also held two honorary
doctor of divinity degrees conferred from Missouri colleges.
Dr. Wood was superintendent of
Baptist missions in Missouri for four years and held several
pastorates in that state. He also served as president of Grand River
Junior College in Missouri and as financial secretary of Southwest
Baptist college in Bolivar Mo.
His first wife, Viola Dorrance, died
in 1919 after they had been married 30 years and he was married May
4, 1921 at Grand City to Nellie B. Rockhold, who survives.
Funeral services were conducted
Friday afternoon. Burial services was held in Springfield, Mo. On
Saturday.
