Frederick L. Wood

Frederick L. Wood, age 75, passed away on the morning of April 23rd, 2024, surrounded by his loved ones.

Fred was born in New York City, New York and was a long time resident of Wawa, Pennsylvania. He attended Salisbury School in 1963 before transitioning to Babson College in 1967. During a brief interlude, Fred spent a few self-willed years in Summit County, Colorado - a place near and dear to his heart. After working as a dynamite carrier for Amax Molybdenum Mine and as a lift operator for Keystone Resort, Fred returned back to his roots in 1977 and completed his undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Management at Widener University. For 36 years, Fred devoted his career to working at Wawa as a Waste, Recycling & Sustainability Manager. Following his retirement in 2013, Fred bought the Home Farm across the street from his childhood home and began diligently restoring the property to its glory days. Fred liked to keep himself busy; whether that be fishing at the Pohoqualine Fish Association, spending time at The Philadelphia Club, volunteering at the USO, taking ski trips with the Lancaster Ski Club, or attending the annual meeting at the Philadelphia Free Quaker Meeting House.

Once he became a farmer, he immersed himself into the preservation of land and various agricultural communities - joining groups like the Quaker City Farmers, the Delaware County and Chester County Beekeepers' Associations, and the Natural Lands Trust. In addition to all the various communities Fred partook, he was also a devoted public servant of Chester Heights Borough. For over a quarter century, he had various roles on both the Planning Commission and Borough Council before retirement in 2016. However, in 2020, Fred was called back to service and appointed Mayor of Chester Heights. He enjoyed this role for a little while and you would occasionally find him wearing a top hat to community events. Fred unconditionally loved his family and friends. Weekly, he went to breakfasts or dinners to have deep and meaningful conversations with his pals.

Fred respected his daughter's adventuresome lifestyle and even traveled to the other side of the world to visit and explore parts of Southeast Asia with her. He also enjoyed traveling the Northeast with his partner - finding intimate communities and quiet time to relax in new surroundings. Fred regularly met with his brothers and sisters via Zoom to reminisce about their childhood and spoke with his son-in-law about the geological features found in various parts of the United States.

He found his own form of spirituality and religion in the great outdoors. He was never more at home than when he was farming, hiking, fly fishing, sailing, or skiing. His love for nature always played a significant role in his life.

Fred will be deeply missed by so many people.

Fred was the son of the late Grahame Wood, Sr. and Emilie L. Wood and brother of the late Sybil K. Borden. Survivors: his daughter, Jessica L. Wood, son-in-law, Justin L. Brumley, beloved partner, Bonnie H. Collins, mother of daughter, Debra L. Gentile-Wood, and siblings, Grahame Wood, Jr., Emilie W. Corbin, Christopher W. Wood Sr., and Dorothea S. "Dodie" Wood.

Services will be private.

On Friday, May 10th at 11:30 AM, there will be a Celebration of Life at The Grahame Wood Center for Servant Leadership at Blossom Hill (Wawa Inc.), 260 Baltimore Pike Media, PA 19063. Family and friends are invited to eat, reminisce, share stories, and most importantly, celebrate the life of Fred.

In Lieu of Flowers: Donations are strongly encouraged to be made in Fred's memory to the Hackerman - Patz House, Natural Lands Trust, and Tyler Arboretum.

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