Martha “Marty” Helaine Wood, 76, a resident of Cleveland, passed away Friday, Nov. 9, 2012, at the family residence. Surrounded by her devoted husband, children and grandchildren, she went home to be with the Lord. She was a long-term member of First Alliance Church in Chattanooga, where she and husband “Woody” served as youth directors in the 1960s and continued to assist in teaching Sunday school through 2012. She also attended Lebanon Interdenominational Church in southwest Bradley County.

She grew up in Buffalo, N.Y. and attended Houghton College in Houghton, N.Y. where she majored in psychology. There she participated in athletics and met the love of her life Lyman “Woody” Wood. Known as “the Campbell Kids” while dating, the couple married and moved to Chattanooga then Cleveland.

She began teaching in Bradley County at Black Fox Elementary School in 1971 and retired in 2001 after 30 years of service. She spent almost all of her years at Black Fox teaching fifth grade and was loved and respected by students, teachers and principals alike.

Among many hobbies she was passionate about tennis, biking, walking and flower gardening. She was a member of the Chattanooga Tennis Association and YMCA and competed regularly in regional and national senior-league tennis tournaments. She spent most of her time actively involved in the lives of her three children and eight grandchildren. She was known to be seen at every soccer, baseball, tennis, football, basketball, theatre and ballet activity in addition to every school event involving any of her grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by parents, Russell L. Cronk and Marion D. Bentley Cronk and brother, Donald Cronk.

Survivors include her husband, Lyman Wood of Cleveland; daughter, Colleen Wood Peach and son-in-law, Brian Peach of Marietta, Ga.; son Randy and daughter-in-law, Audri Wood of Cleveland and son, Rick and daughter-in-law Missy Wood of Chattanooga; eight grandchildren: Jacob Peach, Sarah Peach, Calvin Wood, David Wood, Emma Wood, Abigail Wood, George Wood and Mary Wood; sister and brother-in-law, Marilyn and Lloyd Welton of Harrison; one niece and two nephews.

The Celebration of Life service will be held at 1 p.m.,Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012, in the chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home with the Rev. Lee Peters officiating.

Interment will follow in Laurel Hill-Lebanon Cemetery. A White Dove Release Ceremony will conclude the service.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 this evening and noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Bradley-Cleveland Public Education Foundation for “Marty Wood” mini grant at Black Fox Elementary School.

We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Wood family guest book at www.ralphbuckner.com