PINEHURST — Thomas Phillips Wood Jr., 74 years old, passed away on Friday, March 10, 2023, at his home in Pinehurst.
Tom was born on Feb. 26, 1949, in Rockingham, North Carolina, the son of the late Thomas Phillips Wood and Elizabeth Coble Teague.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife, Linda Beukema Wood; brother, Lawrence McNeil Wood; stepfather, O. Temple Sloan, and Kenan Williams.
Surviving are his children, Phillip Wood (Kristy) of Raleigh, Kate Chapman, of Raleigh, Marianne Bowman (Andrew) of Raleigh; seven grandchildren, Libby Wood, M.P. Wood, Kacky Chapman, Wood Chapman, Mac Chapman, Baker Bowman, CeCe Bowman; brothers, David Wood (Susan) of Pinehurst, O. Temple Sloan Jr. (Carolyn) of Raleigh, C. Hamilton Sloan (Ann) of Morehead City, and their children, Carson Henline (Chuck), Temple Sloan III (Joy), Mark Sloan (Sandi), Hamilton Sloan (Hannah), Avery Knight (David) and their families.
Tom, who was also known as T.P., graduated from Rockingham High School in 1967, where he was class president, and from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 1971, with a degree in Business Administration. He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.
His high school friends and fraternity brothers always meant so much to him. Tom treasured his friends and made a real effort to stay in touch with them. Once a friend of Tom’s, you were always a friend. Tom was a proud and loving father and grandfather. He was always sending texts and emails with pictures of his kids and grandchildren. They were his true joy in life. He was a historian, outdoorsman, and a devoted Tarheel. Tom was a master storyteller and entertained his friends and family.
Tom married Linda Beukema, the love of his life, in 1971 and went to work for Cone Mills in New York City, and then in Atlanta, Georgia. Tom also enjoyed many years with the family business, Wood’s 5 & 10 stores, and then with Wood Brothers, a wholesale apparel company with his brother, David.
Tom was a longtime Presbyterian. He served his church as an elder at First Presbyterian Church in Rockingham and helped lead the Capital Campaign in fundraising.
A memorial service to celebrate Tom will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at 11:30 a.m., at Community Presbyterian Church, 125 Everette Road, Pinehurst, led by the Rev. Rod Stone and the Rev. Dr. Donald Frampton. Please join the family after the service for a reception at the home of David and Susan Wood, CCNC, 30 Roaring Gap Circle, Pinehurst.
Memorials may be made to Community Presbyterian Church, PO Box 1449, Pinehurst, NC 28370; First Presbyterian Church, 904 Fayetteville Road, Rockingham, NC 28379; or Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta, Attention: Rick Zyczkiewicz, 210 N. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514.
Online condolences may be made at watson-kingfuneralhome.com. Watson-King Funeral Home in Rockingham is serving the Wood family.
