Tylertown,MS & Harvey, LA
Funeral Home
Hartman Hughes Funeral Home
Visitation
Saturday January 27th, 2024, 11:00AM-12:30PM, Hartman Hughes Funeral Home, 412 Beulah Avenue, Tylertown, MS
Service
Saturday January 27th, 2024, 12:30 pm, Hartman Hughes Funeral Home, 412 Beulah Avenue, Tylertown, MS
Obituary
Military Service Tribute, Honors, and Obituary
Recognizing and Honoring a Fallen Hero, Who Served Within the Mississippi National Guard. “Fallen, Yet Not Forgotten”
In recognition of our proud American tradition of honorable service which our military men and women have given to their country and our State, we honor a Fallen Hero. Our nation, our state, and the National Guard Association of MS (NGAMS) regard the memorializing of its retired military deceased as an honorable and sacred obligation.
Another great Soldier and Fallen Hero has been released from duty, passed from our ranks on January 15, 2024, and has moved on to his heavenly home. SGT Benjamin Clarence Wood (Served), age 92, who had served in the MSARNG within Company K, 155th Regiment , 31st Dixie Division has departed and gone to a better place with our good Lord.
It takes a special person to serve within the military for their country, giving up their family time, comfort, and safety for their country, ultimately for all Americans to enjoy their freedoms, safety, and way of life. We now applaud you for your service to our country. A special message from General Douglas McArthur remains applicable today for our servicemen that have passed: “Old Soldiers never die; they just fade away”.
Rest in Peace Soldier. We applaud your patriotism, sacrifices, and brave efforts in serving our country and your family for their support of your service. We thank you for your service. Without your efforts and your families’ support, our country would not stand so boldly, shine so bright, and live so free.
You now have earned a rest, so go fly with the Angels, go rest high on that mountain; your work on earth is done. Go to heaven a-shoutin’ Love for the Father and the Son.
Another great Soldier has gone home, “Fallen, Yet Not Forgotten, Soldier for Life”.
Obituary, Visitation, and Service details:
October 6, 1931 — January 15, 2024
Benjamin Clarence Wood, 92, of Belle Chasse, Louisiana, passed away peacefully on January 15th after a lengthy battle with cancer. Ben, also referred to as “Clarence” by many relatives, was born October 6, 1931, in Tylertown, Mississippi, the eldest son of Angus Bouie Wood and Arzilla Wood. He was a 1949 graduate of New Zion High School then attended Southwest Jr. College in Summit, MS. After leaving High School, he joined the Mississippi/Alabama National Guard in the Dixie Division, but left Jr. College in 1951, being activated by the Army National Guard during the Korean Conflict to serve his country. He was stationed at Ft. Jackson, SC where he was Sergeant of the 31st Unit, 155th Regiment, Company K. Wood served in the Korean conflict.
Ben and fellow Guardsmen traveled to Charlotte, NC to attend the State Fair. They stopped at a drive-in diner and that is where he met and was smitten by a pretty waitress, Shirley Harrington. Following his discharge in 1952, Ben began studies at LSU in Baton Rouge. Ben spent the summers working offshore and was hired by The California Company, later to be Chevron.
On November 27, 1953, Ben and Shirley were married at her parent’s home in Derita, NC. Making their home in Buras, LA they welcomed sons Barry and Jody then relocated to Belle Chasse, LA following Hurricane Betsy. They loved spending time in their camper at Dauphin Island, Alabama and purchased a second home there in 1979. Following Ben’s retirement after 37 years from Chevron in 1990, they purchased their motor home in 1994, and traveled all 48 contiguous states and Canada until Shirley’s passing in 2005.
PawPaw Ben, as he was known to his grandchildren and great grandchildren, enjoyed attending their sports activities such as soccer, volleyball, baseball, and football. His favorite sport teams were the Atlanta Braves, New Orleans Saints, and LSU. He enjoyed watching old western movies on Grit TV, Air Disasters on the Smithsonian Channel, Classic TV comedies like “All in the Family” “Beverly Hillbillies”, and FOX News.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife Shirley Harrington Wood, parents Angus Bouie and Arzilla Wood, and brothers Merwin Dale Wood and William ‘Bill’ Lloyd Wood. Left to cherish his memory are his sons Barry Neal Wood and wife Carol of Metairie, LA, and Benjamin Jody Wood and wife Sherry of Terrytown, LA; Grandchildren Adam Wood Little (Casey) Baton Rouge, LA, Brittney Wood Hardouin (JJ) Metairie, LA, Danielle Albritten Maruschack (Brad) Denham Springs, LA, Trey Albritten (Bess) Lafayette, LA, Christopher Litton (Grace) Lincolnton, NC, Great Grandchildren Abigail Maruschak, Noah Marushak, Grayson Albritten, Wyatt Little, Abram Albritten, Chandler Litton, Noelle Litton, Reed Litton, as well as numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Two services celebrating his life will be held, first will be Friday, January 26th, 2024 with a visitation from 6:00-8:00PM at Mothe Funeral Home, 2100 Westbank Expressway, Harvey, LA, 70058.
And, second will take place on Saturday January 27th, 2024 –Visitation at 11:00AM-12:30PM, Funeral Service 12:30 at Hartman Hughes Funeral Home, 412 Beulah Avenue, Tylertown, MS 39667. He will be interred immediatly following at the Wood Family Cemetery, 13 Mt. Moriah Road, in Tylertown, MS. Officiating the services will be his grandson Reverend Christopher Litton.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to help provide services for maintenance and repair of the Wood Family Cemetery. Donations may be made to the 501c3 foundation in honor of Benjamin Clarence Wood at Wood Family Cemetery Fund, in care of Pinebelt Foundation, 1501 Adeline Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401.