Mark Edwards Wood
Mark Edwards Wood was born April 26, 1952, and passed away May 16, 2013, from duodenal cancer. He was born at Methodist Hospital in Oak Cliff to Robert Emery Wood Jr. and Frances Horn Wood.
A lifelong resident of University Park, he graduated from Highland Park High School in 1970 and attended the University of Oklahoma, where he obtained a BSED (Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design – Construction Management).
He was the first person to graduate from OU with a Construction Management Degree in 1974 and was a member of the SAE fraternity. He went on to earn his MBA from the University of Dallas in 1982.
In 1978, he met and married the love of his life, Sara Ritchie Wood. They were married for almost 35 years. They met on a blind date and were married five months later. He was a member of the Idlewild, Calyx, and Terpsichorean clubs.
Mark spent his entire life in the multi-family construction and development business. Starting as a laborer at the age of 17, he ended his career after constructing and/or developing more than 18,000 apartments. Mark worked for Duke-Wade Construction, UDR, running development and construction. In 2007, he joined McCann Realty Partners as the director of development.
He was a charter member of Park Cities Presbyterian Church, where he served as a deacon, an usher, and with Urban Ministries. He loved to work the church services and greet the congregation on Sunday mornings.
He was a true Boy Scout. He was a member of Troop 70, attending the 1964 Jamboree. He was Scoutmaster for Troop 68 at HPUMC, where both his sons became Eagle Scouts. He served with Troop 470 in West Dallas. He was a member of the Order of the Arrow and honored to receive a Silver Beaver. He enjoyed sharing his ranch with Scouts and developed a lifelong bond with the leaders and Scouts as well.
His other love in life was working on his ranches and raising cattle. He loved the outdoors and spent most weekends ranching or hunting and fishing.
Mark never met a stranger, and he poured his life into his family and friends.
Mark possessed a confident and joyful faith in his Lord Jesus Christ. Now Mark’s faith has become sight as he beholds his Savior face to face and hears the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master!”
Mark is survived by his wife, Sara Ritchie Wood; daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca and Robert Knapp Jr. of Houston, and their daughter, Sara Cate Knapp; son Michael Emery Wood of Dallas; son Jason Allan Wood of Marfa, Alaska, and who knows where else; a brother, Robert Fredrick Wood of Burkburnett, Texas; as well as a host of extended family whom he loved.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Boy Scouts of America Troop 470, Park Cities Presbyterian Church, or the Sammons Cancer Center at Baylor Health Care System Foundation.
