Linda Wood, 77, was born in Henning, the fourth child of JB and Lucille Smith Wood. She grew up at Fort Pillow. Linda graduated from Ripley High School in 1967. From early childhood, Linda had a passion for learning about faraway places and a desire to travel. Following a career as a medical transcriptionist and secretary in Memphis hospitals (including her beloved St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital) and the University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences, she spent more than seven years as an expatriate employee in three hospitals in Saudi Arabia- Al Hada Military Hospital, Taif; King Fahad Hospital at Al Baha; and King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh.
In 1990, Linda entered the Foreign Service, serving the US Department of State as an office manager. Assignments took her to our embassies in Tanzania, the Philippines, the Netherlands, Madagascar, Pakistan, Laos, and Bulgaria. In addition to the eight countries where she lived and worked, she visited 51 others. She considered herself fortunate indeed to have lived her dream of travel around the world.
Upon retirement in 2010, Linda settled in Ripley. She was an active member of both the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and National Active Retired Federal Employees (NARFE)
In addition to her parents, Linda was preceded in death by her brothers: James E Wood Sr., William L Wood, and Windell E Wood, as well as a nephew, Michael E Wood and two nieces, Marjorie S Wood and Sonya L Wood Meischner. She leaves 3 nieces and 2 nephews, 16 grandnieces and grandnephews, and several great grand nieces and nephews.
Visitation for Linda will be Friday, November 13, 5-7 PM at Garner Funeral Home. Services will be at Garner Funeral Home Saturday, November 14 at 1 PM.
In lieu of flowers, Linda encouraged donations to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the Lauderdale County animal shelter, or the charity of the donor’s choice.
