Alvin Atkins Woods, Jr.

Alvin Atkins Woods, Jr., loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend passed away Saturday, April 5, 2008, at the Pine River Nursing Home, St. Louis. 

Age 82 years. The son of the late Alvin and Marjorie (Maine) Wood was born July 15, 1925 in Mound City, Illinois. 

He attended Resurrection Catholic School in Lansing and joined the U. S. Marine Corp during his senior year. He served two years in China and returned in 1948 to work for General Motors, Oldsmobile plant in Lansing. He married Josephine Spadafore, April 12, 1950 at Bunker Hill Catholic Church. His wife of 58 years survives him. He was called back to the service during the Korean War. In 1951, he was released from the service and Mr. and Mrs. Wood started their life in Shepherd, MI where they bought a bar, "Woody's Place". The bar sold in 1959 and they moved to Merrill and bought the local grocery store in 1960. The IGA grocery store was closed in 1968 and Alvin went to work as a meat cutter for Guthre's IGA in Breckenridge. In 1979 he joined the Merrill School District where he retired as the Maintenance Man. Alvin loved to bowl and dance and you could always find him doing some sort of carpentry work.

Surviving besides his wife are his loving children: Frank and Karla Wood;

Steven Wood, Jennie Wood, Ann Wood, Joe and Cheryl Wood, Paul and Lisa Wood; his grandchildren: Sarah Wood, Samantha Wood, Paul Wood, Jr., Kenneth Lynam, Kristin and Chad Felker, Lon and Teri Charbonneau; Phillip and Jessica Charbonneau, Aimee and Bill Slaterline, Joel Charbonneau; 10 great grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his son, Alvin Wood III; a brother and three sisters: Bob, Rosemary, Lucille and Mary.

The funeral liturgy will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 8, 2008, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Rev. Craig L. Albrecht will officiate with Military burial in Sacred Heart Cemetery under the auspices of the Hemlock-Merrill V.F.W. Post 7302.

 Friends may call at the W. L. Case and Co. Funeral Chapel in Merrill from 4:00-9:00 p.m. Monday where the Rosary will be prayed by Sr. Lucille D'Amelio O.P. at 8:00 p.m. Friends may call at the Church from 10:00 a.m. Tuesday until the time of the funeral liturgy. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider Heartland Hospice, Sacred Heart Parish in Merrill or St. Patricks Catholic Church, Ryan. www.casefuneralhome.com

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