BY MILES LAYTON
EDENTON — I put on a tie and attended the funeral of Tommy Wood on Tuesday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
Here’s the link to his obituary – he led a full life.
I sat in the balcony so I saw Town Council members, Mayor Hackney High and other folks from all walks of life at the funeral.
After hearing his son Tommy and others share stories about his life, I wish I had known him long before I did, if that turn of phrase makes any sense.
Rather than take notes, I listened. Tommy was a Southern gentleman, a good man, a talented lawyer, a great storyteller, soccer coach with a championship to his credit, loving husband, family man and father. I need to reread “Town and Plantation Tales of the Albemarle.”
Not going to lie – my favorite story came from his son. When Thomas was a boy living in Raleigh, he was watching television in the basement of his family’s home when he smelled something awful. He went upstairs to get his mother Janie to investigate the smell. They determined that it might be coming from inside a paper bag. Mother and son tried reaching the bag, but were unsuccessful.
Dad came downstairs, saw what they were doing and reached up to grab the bag. He opened the bag – saw it was his fish inside. No joke – Tommy grabbed the fish and took a bite out of it, shocking his son and certainly the crowd at the funeral who gasped and smiled, laughed. LOVE THAT STORY, particularly as it illustrates much about the man’s personality.
Tommy was a good coach, or at least a coach who loved to get his team into shape. “Death runs” – I need to try that with my children. And his son remembered jogging from downtown Raleigh to the flea market – a very good distance. Maybe this training is why Thomas can get up in the morning at dark o’ clock and run with F3 through Edenton’s mean streets.
Other takeaways – Tommy loved Janie – his wife of 59 years. They complemented each other. When she died in January… well, I understand how he felt, how much he loved her. After the funeral, I made my wife promise not to die because I wouldn’t be able to replace her even with an army of dachshund puppies.
Tommy was a good lawyer – worked many years in the state Attorney General’s Office. I forgot how many briefs or appellate briefs he wrote – but it was well over a hundred, making him a prodigious writer with a keen mind. When traveling to courtrooms near and far, Tommy liked Southern cooking, preferring the good stuff from local diners.
And when Tommy developed Mulberry Hill, his son said, maybe he hadn’t counted on 80 acres to mow. Me — I love mowing too – so much respect to you, Tommy.
And Tommy could sing, apparently so can John Morehead. Tommy once sang so good that he “beat” Morehead’s singing skill.
Robert Sawyer, who filled in as interim pastor at St. Paul’s until Pastor Melody Perdue was sworn in, gave the sermon. Sawyer explained a bit about the song I’ve heard more than a few times at funerals during the past few months — I Sing A Song Of The Saints of God. Though Sawyer gave a good sermon that I wish I could better recall, my mind kept turning back to the story of Tommy eating the fish, wondering what it tasted like, if it was sardines or a filet of flounder.
However, I have no doubt that Tommy is in heaven, happy to be reunited with Janie, maybe watching his funeral, smiling down on all of us.
Tommy had a loving family and many friends, a legacy of public service and historic preservation, and a strong commitment to Edenton – loved it here. Rest in Peace.